


Class... _ 

Book._i_ _ 

Copyright N°._ 

CCFdRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



































# 















































uT 
























































' 


! 






* 










































































































r- 




- 

•* 














































% 


































































































































































































































1 
























































































>r - . 






*- 
































































































































•» 

































































































THREE GREATER 
SUCCESSES 


I. You — Yourself 

II. Your Local Church 

III. Your Denomination 

y*/' by 

J. S. Huebschmann 


CENTRAL PUBLISHING HOUSE 

CLEVELAND. OHIO 

1922 



Copyrighted 1922 
by 

John S. Huebschmann 


JAN 18 i923 


©C1AG98386 


A WORD OF APPRECIATION AND THANKS. 

The author of this book feels, that an open word of appre¬ 
ciation is due two persons especially; namely, 

Mrs. William C. Langenau of Cleveland and Mrs. Pauline 
F. Lichti of Cleveland, the latter being my sister. 

Each of these has made a large contribution toward the 
publication expenses of “Three Greater Successes.” 

Had it not been for their generous help it is probable that 
this book would never have been offered to the public. 

To these benefactors I publicly express my sincerest grat¬ 
itude. 

John S. Huebschmann. 


iii 







INTRODUCTION 

The Evangelical Church is fortunate to have as one of 
its leaders a man who is able to prepare a course of studies 
on Christian Stewardship. 

Mr. Huebschmann has here attempted to show the suc¬ 
cess that comes from whole-hearted partnership with God, 
as his steward in the making of the Kingdom of righteous¬ 
ness. He also shows how the local church may succeed in a 
greater way by simply accepting God’s promise as true; and 
how any denomination will be enlarged and prospered in 
such ratio as the members become Christian Stewards. 

Inasmuch as no man can be a Christian until he is a 
Christian Steward it is easy to see why these things are 
true, and Mr. Huebschmann has made it easy for us to think 
our way through the problem. The simple placing of his 
work under three heads, You, Your Church, and Your De¬ 
nomination, is helpful; and the class study material at the 
end of the chapters makes the matter available to all those 
who are earnestly seeking the better way. 

I sincerely congratulate the Evangelical Church on now 
having a satisfactory study book on stewardship. We know 
that none of us can reach the heights without taking the 
others along with us. 

Luther E. Love joy, 
Secretary of The Stewardship Division 
of The Methodist Episcopal Church. 




v 














4 



































FOREWORD 


It has been my fond hope during the last eight years to 
set forth in plain words, in book form, some fundamental 
truth, by which many people whom I have never met and 
most probably will never see, may be helped. Likewise has 
it been my hope, that through the truth expressed in this 
volume, many persons with whom I have been privileged to 
become acquainted, may also derive encouragement in well¬ 
doing and in serving God better than they have been doing. 
Although for several years I have been planning this treat¬ 
ise, I have not been able to devote much time to it. 

My chapters have been written in a hurry. I do not claim 
any literary value for the book. I do hope, however, that 
the facts therein presented will set many a person to think¬ 
ing about God’s plan for the individual, God’s plan for the 
local church, and the divine plan for that denomination to 
which the reader may belong; and that it may lead the 
reader to a greater measure of spiritual and material suc¬ 
cess. I do not mean to beat around the bush. I do hope 
to have my reader understand my firm belief that that person 
who prayerfully, unboastingly, happily and cheerfully tithes 
his or her income, will become more successful in the spiritual 
life and will also be more blessed in material things, than if 
he or she did not live up to that principle. I would have you 
understand that I believe the same thing about any local 
church collectively; namely, that if the greater number of 
members practice and prayerfully, unboastingly, happily and 

vii 


viii 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


cheerfully teach tithing, that local church will become a 
greater factor for good and be truly more successful than 
a congregation which does not teach and practice the tithe 
principle. 

It is self evident that God, who blesses the individual 
cheerful tither and a local tithing congregation, will not 
withhold, but that He will “pour out His blessings” also 
over that denomination which, prayerfully, unboastingly, 
happily and cheerfully tithes. 

I wish to be clearly understood. I am not teaching that 
by giving the tithe you will thereby gain heaven. No. You 
can’t buy eternal life or heaven with all your possessions— 
no, not with all the world’s wealth. He who is forced to 
tithe, or does so grudgingly, must look for no blessings, 
either spiritual or material. But he who after study of the 
matter, prayerfully, happily, unboastingly tithes, will recog¬ 
nize God’s blessings in many ways. 

I invite all readers, simply to give the matter of tithing 
your careful and prayerful consideration. Then decide for 
yourself as you please. I urge also that you give others 
an opportunity to become acquainted with the matter of 
tithing. Then let each decide for himself, for or against 
tithing. 

I believe as little in forced tithing as I believe in forced 
praying. But I do know that hundreds of thousands of per¬ 
sons are led to a life of prayer through kind teaching and 
patience on the part of people who earnestly pray. I also 
know that thousands upon thousands of persons have become 
happy, cheerful, unboasting tithers, through the patient and 


FOREWORD 


ix 


faithful teaching of others. All that is necessary, is an 
earnest, prayerful, hopeful, lengthy propaganda and educa¬ 
tional campaign in Stewardship and Tithing throughout the 
Christian world. If this be carried on, the Kingdom of God 
will be advanced as never before. If this campaign be carried 
on The Church of God will go onward ?< as a mighty army” 
and the Kingdom of darkness will be made to wane. 

I heartily thank all those persons who so kindly permitted 
me to publish their experiences, and also those who granted 
me permission to use their photograph in my volume. These 
persons are as reluctant and modest as any other benevolent 
person. They permitted their experience and name to be 
published, guided only by the good and unselfish belief that 
Gladstone’s statement was true when he said that one exam¬ 
ple was worth a thousand arguments. Various authors and 
publishers have been generous in their help, permitting that 
extracts be reprinted from their books. To them, also, I 
express my sincerest thanks. 

Entertaining the hope that its pages may help lead indi¬ 
viduals, congregations and denominations to greater and 
more effective and successful work for the Master, I send 
out this little volume. 

JOHN S. HUEBSCHMANN. 

Cleveland, Ohio. 

September 9, 1922. 














































CONTENTS 

PART I 

Chapter I page 

Concerning God’s Will . 1 

Chapter II 

Tithing . 19 

Chapter III 

Tithers from Various Walks of Life.34 

Chapter IV 

Tithers I Know . 45 

PART II 

Chapter V 

God’s Business Plan Versus Man’s for the Church 63 
Chapter VI 

Advice to Members and Organizations. 77 

Chapter VII 

Tithing Churches which Have Succeeded.101 

PART III 

Chapter VIII 

What Some Denominations Are Doing...121 

Chapter IX 

Blessings From Heaven Poured Out—Or Blessings 

Withheld—Which Shall It Be?.139 

xi 
















/ 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Ibulahimu Miliangu and Timoteo Mabula.Frontis-piece 

Children Missing Supper for a Month so That They could 

Give Toward Missions . 9 

“Sophie” . 39 

Mr. George E. Hays. 41 

Mr. James L. Sayler. 47 

Mr. John Hamill, “The Blacksmith Missionary”. 49 

Miss Gertrude Bowyer. 51 

Mr. Thomas Kane, who has taught millions. 53 

Mr. S. D. Gordon, Author of “The Quiet Talks”. 55 

Hon. Jesse A. Baldwin, who served as Judge of the Cir¬ 
cuit Court in Chicago for Twelve Years. 55 

Mr. Wilson C. Moyer, President of The Geneva Titters’ 

Band . 109 


xiii 
















PART I 

CHAPTER I 

CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 

SUCCESS 

What is success ? Whence comes it ? How do we 
attain it ? 

Success is the attainment or acquirement of a good 
for which one has strived. To succeed is to attain 
height. 

A very direct means to the highest kind of success 
is obedienee to the eternal law of God. 

This road many, yes, most persons avoid, to the 
disadvantage of their own temporal as well as of 
their eternal and spiritual welfare. 

Close observance and a thorough understanding 
of a certain command of the Master, a law embrac¬ 
ing the essence of almost all essentials of God’s law 
to mankind, needs to be definitely and unmincingly 
brought to the attention of all who wish to become 
truly successful. 

That command is Matthew 6:33—“Seek ye first 
the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all 
these things shall be added unto you.” 

Many are willing to interpret this command in a 
careless way. 

Yet it lays down for us a whole life’s program. 


2 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


It embraces duties greater than we often think. 
It deals with our ability, our time, and our posses¬ 
sions. 

Obedience to God’s law illumines life. It brings 
joy instead of distress and remorse. It brings suc¬ 
cess in the highest sense of the word. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
SUCCESS 

1. Define success. 

2. Is there such a thing as success apart from God’s bless¬ 
ings? 

3. What in your opinion should be the highest goal of man ? 

GOD’S WILL 

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His right¬ 
eousness and all these things shall be added unto 
you.” Math. 6 :33. 

Often did I wonder, how it ever came about that 
so-called Christians, church people, have so utterly 
disregarded the Master’s command: “Seek ye first 
the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Have 
we, honestly speaking, first sought God’s Kingdom? 

How about our days and moments ? Time belongs 
to God. We are simply stewards over our time. 
How much time do we spend with and for God ? Not 
even regularly, two hours every Sunday. People 
find or take time for work, for play, for amusements 
and pleasure. When and where does God receive 
the attention due Him? We should seek first the 


CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


3 


Kingdom of God. We should give unto God our first 
and best hours and moments. How utterly do most 
people fail in this particular! 

How about our abilities, our talents? Some have 
especial ability to be Sunday School teachers, others 
are equipped with executive ability and would be 
very able to become leaders, presidents and secre¬ 
taries of societies. Most women have a personal gift 
for serving in sick rooms; others have musical tal¬ 
ents. These talents are not always invited to become 
used. But only too often, ministers and other leaders 
must plead in vain for men and women, youths and 
maidens, to direct their God-given talents into such 
channels. There is much dormant talent which 
should be utilized. Have you talents? Use them. 

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His right¬ 
eousness.” God should have the full use of our best 
talents. All are only stewards—and very often 
many are unfaithful stewards. 

Salt is a seasoning element. Put salt into pota¬ 
toes and they will become tasty. Salt is also often 
used to preserve meats and vegetables against decay. 
Christians with their good talents are “the salt of 
the earth.” They are to preserve this world aginst 
decay. They are to make this world a better, more 
tolerable—yes, more tasty—place in which to live. 
We should use our talents as God's faithful stewards. 

And how about our money, our so-called prop¬ 
erty, our possessions ? Do we seek to advance God's 


4 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Kingdom first, with our possessions? Do we use 
most all of our income for ourselves and at last give 
God LEAST—only pennies and dimes? 

We should be stewards over our income and earn¬ 
ings. God owns everything, every dollar we earn, 
even the air that we breathe. We are absolutely 
dependent on God’s goodness. God makes it possible 
for us to earn what we do earn. Should we not will¬ 
ingly give back to Him a fair portion? “Seek ye 
first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

GOD’S WILL 

1. How much time may a person use for himself? 

2. Refute the statement, “I have no time for God’s work.” 

3. Why is it our duty to use our talents? 

4. How may dormant talent be stimulated? 

5. Give three reasons why God should be served first. 

GIVING 

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”—Acts 2:35. 
Lowell says: “To give is to live.” 

“A man there was—the people called him mad. 

The more he gave away, the more he had.” 

—John Bunyan. 

“Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure pressed 
down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give 
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete 
withal it shall be measured to you again.” 

“Giving is the nobler part of man, the side of him that 
lies highest and nearest to God.” 


CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


5 


Many people have already acquired the art of 
cheerful and liberal giving, but a greater number 
have not yet learned this God-willed practice. Many 
seem unwilling even to listen to any discourse about 
giving. Talk about many other matters and they 
will pay attention, but to giving they shut their ears. 
They are something like the farmer about whom the 
following story has often been told, and printed in 
many articles and books. 

John Wesley once preached a famous sermon on 
Stewardship. The sermon had the following divi¬ 
sions: “Earn all you can; Save all you can; Give 
away all you can.” The farmer evidently must have 
entered the church after Wesley had already men¬ 
tioned the three divisions. 

As Wesley was preaching the first part on “Earn 
all you can,” the listener became intensely interested. 
Almost forgetting where he was, and nodding to his 
next neighbor, he said louder than in a whisper, 
“That's fine. That man knows something. I never 
heard anybody before who preached like that.” As 
Wesley was delivering the second part of the sermon 
on “Save all you can,” the farmer grew restless for 
joy, complimenting the speaker even more than 
before. “Surely this man of God is telling us won¬ 
derful truths. I never heard preaching like that be¬ 
fore.” (The farmer had been hoarding wealth.) 

As Wesley began preaching the third part of the 
sermon on “Give away all you can,” denouncing self- 


6 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


ishness, coveting, hoarding, stinginess, etc., the 
farmer becoming disgusted said to his neighbor, “Oh, 
it's too bad, now he has undone and spoiled it all!” 

Perhaps you have already heard the parable of the 
man who had a pond of water on his land. The story 
teaches a great lesson. The pond owner was always 
hoarding water, turning every little ditch into his 
pond, setting tubs and buckets under every eave and 
spout and carrying water to put into it. He envied 
even the birds what they drank, fearing lest some 
day the pond would be dry and he would perish of 
thirst. But coming one day with an unusually heavy 
load of water he slipped and fell into his pond and 
was drowned. 

Many people do as the pond owner did. They 
hoard, they gather, they begrudge others who re¬ 
ceive a little from their pond of wealth, and ulti¬ 
mately they are completely overcome and over¬ 
whelmed, and destroyed through their pond of money 
and property. 

Sad, but true it is, that many, many so-called 
Christians think and act like the farmer in Wesley’s 
audience and like the pond owner in the last story. 

But thanks be unto God, there is an increasing 
number of people who are looking up to noble Chris¬ 
tian examples, such as will be brought to the readers’ 
attention in a later chapter on tithers. 


CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


7 


Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

GIVING 

1. Why is the subject of giving distasteful to many? 

2. Apart from the fact that hoarding is a sin, why is it folly ? 

3. Picture a community made up largely of retired farmers, 
and discuss the attending drawbacks to the establishment 
of tithing, bearing in mind that the manner in which 
money is earned influences the method in which it is 
spent. 

4. It is said that the amount a congregation gives to benevo¬ 
lences is a thermometer of its spiritual life. Is that true 
in each case? 

MISSING A MEAL FOR THE MASTER 

Fourteen years ago I became acquainted with the 
Rev. Dr. Ludwig Schneller, president of the Syrian 
Orphanages at Jerusalem. Doctor Schneller was re¬ 
lating some of his missionary experiences in the 
Holy Land. His Cleveland audience was stirred. I 
was deeply moved by one of the stories he told pic¬ 
turing the beautiful sacrificing spirit of orphans of 
that Evangelical institution in Jerusalem. 

In order that I might tell the beautiful story with¬ 
out misrepresentation or exaggeration, I wrote to 
Doctor Schneller. In a letter received from him in 
January, 1921, he restated it in substance as I relate 
it here. May it impress my readers as it impressed 
me, when I heard Doctor Schneller tell it years ago. 
The announcement was made one day at the 


8 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Syrian Orphans’ Home, “If anybody cares to give to 
Missions, he may place his offering in the collection- 
box on Sunday.” No one was urged to contribute 
although, for a year, in the Mission study classes the 
imperative need of missionary development in other 
lands had been emphasized. 

A number of the students (children) were entirely 
without means, yet they had a strong desire to do 
their bit. These came to Dean Schneller and said, 
“We have no money to give for Missions but we 
would like to earn some.” 

“How will you earn it?” 

“By going hungry.” 

“My dear children,” laughed the Dean, “no money 
is to be earned by going hungry.” 

“Yes, indeed,” was the reply. “You see, we are 
determined to go without supper for a month, pro¬ 
vided that you will at the end of that period pay each 
one of us five cents for the bread thus saved every 
day.” 

With moist eyes the Dean agreed to the plan. 
When the month was over and payment was made, it 
was not as usually made with heavy heart, the in¬ 
come barely meeting the expenses; this occasion was 
one of real joy to the paymaster. And the children 
exultingly deposited their hard-erned money in the 
collection-box. In this manner upwards of $150 has 
been collected and sent to the various Societies. 


Children Missing- Supper for a Month so That They Could Give 

Toward Missions 



0 












CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


9 


“The above story gripped and touched me deeply,” 
said Rev. Schneller. “I felt ashamed when I remem¬ 
bered how little I had done in comparison to these 
young Christians who brought a real sacrifice. 
Whenever religion penetrates to the pocket-book of 
an individual and moves him to self-denial, then we 
may rest assured that it has gone still further, into 
the heart of a person.” 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

MISSING A MEAL FOR THE MASTER 
1. What is the lesson from the story told by Dr. Schneller? 

PROPORTIONATE GIVING 

“Proportionate Giving” is a topic which has found 
its place in the Forward Movement of many denom¬ 
inations. It deserves all attention given it, and 
more. 

The leaders of the Forward Movement of the Evan¬ 
gelical Synod of North America have made Propor¬ 
tionate Giving the big subject and goal in their 
Stewardship Program. 

Their aim is to awaken a Stewardship conscious¬ 
ness among our Church people, and to secure thou¬ 
sands of pledges of members, who will honestly and 
conscientiously set aside a certain definite portion 
of their income to Kingdom purposes. 

Every recipient of Stewardship literature, from 


10 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


the Evangelical Forward Movement Committee, 
should heartily co-operate with these committee 
leaders. 

Let me illustrate to you by plain example what 
could be done if all our people would carry out the 
plan of the Stewardship committee. 

Let me say, in round figures, that the Evangelical 
Synod numbers 250,000 individual contributing 
members. 

Let me say that on the average, each one of the 
250,000 has a yearly income of only $1200. 

If 100,000 would give toward the Benevolent Funds 
of the Synod only 1% of their income it would 

amount to. $1,200,000 

If 100,000 would give toward the Benevolent Funds 
of the Synod only 5% of their income it would 

amount to . 6,000,000 

If 25,000 would give toward the Benevolent Funds 
of the Synod only 10% of their income it would 

amount to . 3,000,000 

If 25,000 would give toward the Benevolent Funds 
of the Synod only 20% of their income it would 
amount to ... 6,000,000 

The total amount for one year would be.$16,200,000 

Or, 

If 100,000 each would earn $1000 and would give to 

Benevolent causes 1% it would amount to... .$1,000,000 
If 100,000 each would earn $1500 and would give to 

Benevolent causes 5% it would amount to.... 7,500,000 








CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


11 


If 25,000 each would earn $2000 and would give to 

Benevolent causes 10% it would amount to.... 5,000,000 
If 25,000 each would earn $2500 and would give to 

Benevolent causes 20% it would amount to... .12,500,000 


The total amount for one year would be.$26,000,000 

Dear readers! I ask you to pause and think about 
these figures, for a few moments. Are we seeking 
first the Kingdom of God, or are we neglecting our 
duty? 

We should set aside a certain portion of our income 
for God’s work, before we set aside any other por¬ 
tions of our income for the payment of any bills 
whatsoever. The first fruits of our income belong 
to God. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His 
righteousness and all these things (the necessary 
things for living) shall be added unto you.” 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

PROPORTIONATE GIVING 

1. Why emphasize proportionate giving? 

2. Name advantages of proportionate giving for (a) the 
individual, (b) the local church, (c) the denomination. 

3. What proportion can YOU give? 

STEWARDSHIP 

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of 
Hosts.” (Haggai 2:8.) 

“A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive 
for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his 




12 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


ten servants and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto 
them, ‘Occupy till I come.”’ (Luke 19:12-13.) 

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the 
world, and they that dwell therein.” (Ps. 24:1.) 

“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is 
He that giveth thee power to get wealth.” (Deuteronomy 
8:18.) 

“Behold all souls are mine.” (Ezek. 18:4.) 

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” 
(Genesis 1:1.) 

“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon 
a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; 
and the wild beasts of the field are mine. The world is 
mine, and the fulness thereof.” (Ps. 50:10-12.) 

Let us give several of these texts a few moments of our 
attention. 

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the 
Lord of Hosts.” 

In our commercial age we speak in terms of dollars, 
and silver and gold. We buy with money, and we sell 
for money. We receive money and we spend money. 
In our days money is a necessity. In olden days peo¬ 
ple exchanged articles. But today we pay money 
for all necessities and commodities for living. 

God knew the value of gold and silver long before 
any mint ever turned out any coins. The Lord says: 
“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” Dear 
readers, the silver and the gold that you say belong 
to you is God's. He is the owner, you merely possess 
it for a short time. You are to be a steward. What 


CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


13 


is a steward ? “A steward is a person entrusted with 
the management of estates or affairs not his own.” 

Silver and gold are coined into money. Money is 
not bad in itself, but bad people make it bad. God 
made the world. When He had made it, it is said 
that “It was good.” The world is not bad in itself. 
But bad people make it bad. Money is the measure 
for things. Some say that money is a part of man 
himself, inasmuch as he receives wages for labor 
which he has performed. His effort and his rightly 
directed energy are equivalent to the dollars he has 
earned. 

Money is a power. We have a little sarcastic Ger¬ 
man proverb: “Money rules the world.” It is de¬ 
plorable that this proverb seems to have become 
quite true. Money has to a large extent ruled the 
world in the advancement and to the advantage of 
the powers of Satan and darkness. 

It is high time that the program be reversed; so 
that money may indeed be seen to rule the world in 
the advancement of the Spirit of God and the powers 
of Christ ; so that the world may be filled with the 
Glory of God and that men may know and do God's 
will. 

We may hope for such a changed program, how¬ 
ever, only when the so-called Christian people will 
have endorsed and will have practiced Christian 
stewardship—when the multitudes of Christians will 
not only sing: “All to Jesus, I surrender; All to Him 


14 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


I freely give,” but when they in reality as managers 
and stewards over all the blessings, which God has 
entrusted unto them, give God His share. 

Christian reader, be a steward over your posses¬ 
sions and over the money which you consider to be 
yours, for the Master will some day say to you: 
“Give account of thy stewardship.” 

In the second text we are emphatically taught, as 
in others, that God owns all, and that a time of 
accounting will come for all who have received any 
talents or blessings from God, whatsoever. “The 
earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; the 
world, and they that dwell therein.” The earth is 
full of riches and treasures. The earth is full of 
rich mines, gold, silver and precious minerals, stones, 
oils, etc. They belong to God. Again the vegeta¬ 
bles, grains, fruits, etc., are the Lord’s. Even we 
and all inhabitants of the earth are not our own, 
we are His. 

Think about Deuteronomy 8:18—“But thou shalt 
remember the Lord thy God; for it is He that giveth 
thee power to get wealth.” Did you ever go through 
a hospital where you saw in one bed a person with 
an arm amputated, in another a consumptive, in the 
third a blind person, in the next ward a nervous 
wreck, and next to him a cancer patient? How were 
you impressed on your trip through that vale of 
woe? Did only tears of sympathy and compassion, 
or also tears of repentance and gratitude, dim your 


CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


15 


eyes? Among such scenes of sickness, disability 
and weakness we are sometimes brought to repent 
over our ingratitude toward God, who gives us 
power to acquire our daily bread and the comforts 
of life. 

Praise not yourself for attainment of bread and 
wealth. Remember the Lord with thanksgiving, 
“for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.” 
Your physical power belongs to God. You are to be 
a faithful steward over it. 

Oh, how we do clamor for health when we are sick! 

“For every beast of the forest is mine and the 
cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls 
of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field 
are mine. The world is mine, and the fulness there¬ 
of.” Every time I hear or read these verses, I am 
carried back in memory to the scenes of my child¬ 
hood, where my grandfather told us children the 
following story: 

Among the members of one of his country 
churches there was a man who for a time came regu¬ 
larly to the services. He was respected by his neigh¬ 
bors. He became quite wealthy as a prosperous 
farmer. However, evil influence soon entered into 
his life. He ceased coming to church; but what was 
worse than that, he began to ridicule the Church 
and the Christian religion. One day as Grandfather 
stood on the road next to that farmer’s fields, the 


16 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


tiller of the soil said, as he pointed to a great herd 
of cattle: 

“See there, pastor. Those are mine! When I came 
here I had nothing. See those grain fields! Those 
are mine. Look yonder! That rolling, waving field 
of hay is mine, too. I bought that field last summer. 
Pastor, when I came here years ago I had nothing; 
now I am comfortably fixed.” 

Stretching out his sinewy arms, clinching his big 
fists, he cried out boastingly: “These arms and 
hands and my unceasing toil have made it possible, 
and nothing else. I did it and I owe nobody a cent.” 
Leaving the farmer, Grandfather said: “But God 
made it possible for you.” 

That summer passed. Fall and winter passed also. 
Spring came again. The farmer, as in other years, 
plowed his fields and sowed the seed. The seed 
sprouted. It was a beautiful spring season. Showers 
blessed and refreshed the farms around, but no rain 
fell upon that farmer’s ground. The summer passed. 
The same sun that after mild rains smiled on all 
the other farms, fairly baked that one farmer’s 
soil till no moisture was left. 

While all his neighbors brought in great harvests, 
he alone sat idle, with nothing to harvest but sorrow 
and regret. 

Just at dawn one October morning, Grandfather 
opened his kitchen door, in response to an early 
caller. There stood that farmer. Grandfather bade 


CONCERNING GOD’S WILL 


17 


him come in. Still holding the door-knob with his 
right hand, resting the other on Grandfather’s shoul¬ 
der, the worried man said with a faltering voice: 

“Pastor, I can’t keep still any longer. You are the 
first one I come to tell it, but I shall tell all neighbors, 
too. I have sinned! I have sinned! I, my people, 
my home, my fields, and cattle are useless and help¬ 
less when God withdraws His hand of blessing.” 

Then rising to his full manly height, as one re¬ 
lieved, after confessing a long concealed sin, lifting 
his hands, folding them in penitence, he exclaimed: 
“Not my hands, but God’s hand has cursed my land 
this season. Not my hands, but God’s hand in past 
seasons, gave me rich harvests, great herds and 
wealth. Oh, I have sinned!” 

What profound truth the old song preaches! 

We plow the fields, and scatter the seeds upon the land, 
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand; 

He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain, 
The breezes and the sunshine and soft refreshing rain. 

He only is the Maker of all things near and far. 

He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star: 
The winds and waves obey Him; by Him the birds are fed; 
Much more to us, His children, He gives our daily bread. 

We thank Thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good 
The seedtime and the harvest, our life, our health, our food; 
No gifts have we to offer, for all Thy love imparts, 

But that which Thou desirest, our humble, thankful hearts. 

2 


18 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


“In the beginning God created the heaven and the 
earth.” God is the owner of all. 

“There are myriads of estates, small and great, 
with their title-deeds, upon the records of this and 
other countries, but back of them all is the Mosaic 
record. Tn the beginning God created the Heaven 
and the Earth.' Across the face of every instrument 
representing values, whether it be a deed or a mort¬ 
gage, a bond or a bequest, is written in imperishable 
characters, 'The earth is the Lord's and the fullness 
thereof.' We do not possess anything in an absolute 
sense, a fact which ought to humble us and lead us to 
a fuller realization of our entire dependence upon 
the great source of all blessings.”—From Getting 
and Giving, by W. M. Weekley. 

Christian stewardship involves much indeed. 
Christian stewardship is a great school in which 
many lessons are to be learned. One of these lessons 
is, the correct use and management of our money. 

An absolute self-surrender to God must, however, 
ultimately be the aim of all earnest teaching on 
stewardship. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
STEWARDSHIP 

1. What makes money bad? Name the good and the evil 
uses of money. 

2. Enlarge on the definition of steward. 

3. What is the Christian's attitude toward money? 

4. What is the aim of all earnest teaching on stewardship? 


CHAPTER II 

TITHING 

It is indeed strange that the last exhaustive work 
on the tithe was written so far back as in 1618. 
The name of the book was “History of Tythes.” The 
author was John Selden. Perhaps the most remark¬ 
able book on the tithe, since Selden’s, was “The 
Sacred Tenth,” by Rev. Henry Lansdell, which was 
published in 1908. That book, however, was so vol¬ 
uminous, that it appeared necessary to print a synop¬ 
sis of it under the title: “The Tithe in Scripture.” 
This book, of about 170 pages, appeared also in 1908. 
It cannot be denied, however, that numerous splen¬ 
did pamphlets and small tracts have had considerable 
circulation. 

Here and there, during the last few decades, a 
book on “Giving” or “Stewardship” or “Tithing” 
would modestly make its appearance. 

The subject “Tithing” is so great that it deserves 
much more attention and time than Christian people 
have in the past devoted to it. Fact is, many of our 
devoted Church people do not know what the word 
tithing means; neither do they know anything about 
the practice of giving the tenth. 

Again there are people, who, when approached on 
the subject of tithing, fearing that too much might 
19 


20 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


be expected of them, will excuse themselves by say¬ 
ing, “Let us not talk about tithing, but let us talk 
about stewardship.” They should be taught that 
stewardship is much more absorbing than tithing 
and tithing is in reality only the first step in steward¬ 
ship. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

TITHING 

1. In your opinion, has the Church laid the proper emphasis 
on tithing during the last three centuries? 

2. Differentiate between tithing and stewardship. 

3. Unless we remember that God owns everything, to what 
fallacy may tithing lead us? 

4. In what way has the reluctance of people to give been 
a serious handicap to the advancement of God’s King¬ 
dom? 

THE FIRST VERSE IN OUR CATECHISM 

The very first Bible verse in the Catechism, is that 
ever important, but much neglected, advice of the 
Master himself: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God 
and His righteousness, and all these things shall be 
added unto you.” Math. 6:33. It has already been 
said, in a previous chapter, that a conscientious appli¬ 
cation of this truth should be made in every life, as 
regards ability, time, physical strength and posses¬ 
sions. In this chapter, however, special emphasis 
is to be laid upon the teaching of the advancement 
of God's Kingdom through the instrumentality of 


TITHING 


21 


our earthly possessions. To a healthy mind it is 
readily conceivable, that God will not be satisfied 
merely with a consecration of a part of our time, 
ability and strength, but that He, the gracious Giver 
of all, rightly expects, that we also cheerfully con¬ 
secrate to Him a reasonable portion of our money. 

Let us be honest and acknowledge the fact that, 
generally speaking, the Church has not nearly per¬ 
formed her duty. The same must be admitted about 
the average Christian. If this is true—and it is 
true—then a remedy should at least be sought. 
When a body is sick the physician seeks after the 
cause of the ailment, next searches after a remedy 
wherewith to destroy the sickness. 

One fault or ailment of the church is the reluct¬ 
ance with which people have contributed toward her 
enterprises. 

We have been playing with pennies, nickels, and 
dimes too long. We should have been working with 
dollars and tithes. One great disorder or sickness 
of the Church will be corrected when people again 
and again receive instruction in stewardship, and 
when they are taught by word and example that to 
“seek first the Kingdom of God” includes also a sur¬ 
render of a goodly portion of our income. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
THE FIRST VERSE IN THE CATECHISM 
1. Explain Matt. 6:33. 


22 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 
WHAT IS TITHING? 

Tithing is paying back to God the first tenth of 
our income. Yes, tithing is more than simply paying 
back to God the first tenth of our income: TITH¬ 
ING IS PUTTING GOD AND NOT SELF FIRST. 
Tithing is spending ONE TENTH OF YOUR IN¬ 
COME FOR GOD’S GOOD CAUSES, for church, for 
poor, sick, even needy relatives whom you are not 
legally obliged to help, but whom, you believe, God 
expects you to help. 

Tithing impresses me as being the only way by 
which it is possible to make even a partial report of 
our stewardship. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
WHAT IS TITHING 

1. Define tithing. 

THE PRE-MOSAIC TITHE* 

From the beginning man seems to have understood 
that a regular payment out of his increase, or in¬ 
come, was due his God. 

“The tithe is not only as old as Eden, but universal 
with the race. Clay tablets found in the ruins of 
ancient cities show that the nations of the earth 
to the east as far as Babylon, and to the south as far 

♦Anybody wishing to make a more thorough study of Sacrifices 
and Tithing should read “The Tithe in Scripture,” by Henry Lans- 
dell. 



TITHING 


23 


as Egypt, were tithing already in the days of Abra¬ 
ham. Dr. Adam Clark says: 'Almost all nations of 
the earth have agreed to give one-tenth to religious 
use.’ The learned Grotius says, ‘From the most an¬ 
cient ages one-tenth was the portion due to God.’ 
While Montacutius says, ‘Instances are mentioned 
in history of nations that did not offer sacrifices, but 
none that did not pay tithes/ Herodotus, Xenophon, 
Pliny, Hesiod and others bear witness to this claim. 
MUST there not have been some divine origin for 
the practice?” (Alber.) 

According to Lansdell’s deductions in his profound 
study of early sacrifices, we might reasonably infer 
that the thank-offerings of “first-fruits” of Cain and 
Abel were then already, by Jehovah, expected to be 
equal to the tithe. 

One expositor has said: “At the very birth of the 
race God established His right to say that a certain 
definite portion of man’s income was His. The sin 
of our first parents that drove them from the garden 
of Eden was. to take of the portion which God had 
reserved for himself.” 

Is it not possible that God, who placed Adam into 
Eden, as his steward, had also given him informa¬ 
tion regarding the tithe ? 

“The prevalence of tithe-paying amongst ancient 
nations, quite apart, so far as we see, from the Bible, 
has, if possible, to be accounted for. If it was orig¬ 
inally left to every man to give for religious pur- 


24 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


poses merely according to his own inclination—that 
is, as much or as little as he pleased—then how 
should so many peoples have hit upon a tenth for 
God’s portion, rather than a fifth, or a fifteenth, or 
any other? Does not universality of this proportion 
point to a time when the ancestors of those nations 
lived together, and so derived the custom from a 
common source? 

“If we may venture the hypothesis that God from 
the beginning taught Adam that it was the duty of 
man to render a portion of his increase to his Maker, 
and that that portion was to be not less than a tenth, 
then we shall see that the facts recorded in Gensis 
not only do not contradict such a supposition, but 
corroborate and strengthen it. 

“In accordance with this theory, also, Abel’s fuller 
sacrifice was accepted; and so sacrifice and tithe-pay¬ 
ing may be presumed to have continued all along the 
centuries to the days of Noah. Then, when his de¬ 
scendants built cities in Babylonia and afterwards be¬ 
came scattered, they would naturally take with them, 
among other primeval customs and traditions, the 
offering of sacrifice and tithe-paying. And thus 
would be accounted for, only a few centuries later, 
the existence of these customs as recorded in cunei¬ 
form literature on the tabets we possess, as well as 
the information given us about tithe-paying in the 
literatures of Egypt, Greece and Rome.” 

—The Tithe in Scripture, by Henry Lansdell. 


TITHING 


25 


Abraham tithed, Jacob tithed, Moses tithed. It is 
to be remembered that Abraham, born in Chaldea, 
tithed hundreds of years before the birth of Moses. 
This fact counts as an argument, directed against the 
common criticism, that the tithe law is an anti¬ 
quated Mosaic law, applicable only to Israel. I be¬ 
lieve that it is a God’s law, somehow, revealed unto 
man from the time of creation. 

The laws of Moses simply included the law of the 
tithe. But some people will still insist that tithing 
was a principle taught by and to the Pharisees and 
Jews, and therefore is not to be applied to the Chris¬ 
tian. A fair question to be addressed to such objec¬ 
tors would be: Of what importance then are the ten 
commandments and many other important rules to 
the Christian, since they also were originally given 
to the Jewish people? Deut. 14:22-27-28-29, we may 
read about even a second and a third tithe which 
Israel observed. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

THE PRE-MOSAIC TITHE 

1. Outline the historic background of tithing. 

2. Wherein did Adam’s sin coincide with that of the unfaith¬ 
ful steward? 

3. Account for the prevalence of tithing among ancient 
nations. 

4. Advance grounds for the rejection of Cain’s offering. 

5. An objection made to the tithe is that it was introduced 
merely to help raise money for the temple. Refute this 
argument. 


26 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


DID JESUS ABROGATE THE TITHE? 

There is no record showing that Jesus did abro¬ 
gate the tithe, but on the other hand there are 
records of his favorable comment on the practice of 
tithe-paying. Furthermore, I invite your attention 
to the study of the fact, that the teachings of Jesus 
concerning giving in most cases, if not all, centered 
around such examples in which the gift or payment 
even by far exceeded the tithe. Mark 12:42-44 we 
read about the poor widow who gave 10/10. 

When Jesus instructed the rich young ruler, He 
said to him: “Sell all that thou hast, and distribute 
unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in 
heaven, and come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22.) In 
his treatise, “God’s Twin Laws,” Mr. Alber says: 
“Every case of giving mentioned in the new Testa¬ 
ment is mentioned because it went beyond the tithe.” 
In another teaching of Jesus in which He by far ex¬ 
ceeds the tithe, He says: “He that hath two coats 
let him impart to him that hath none, and he that 
hath meat let him do likewise.” (Luke 3:11.) 

Jesus, being a Jew, was expected to keep the laws 
of Moses. It can not well be believed under that 
circumstance, that Jesus did not himself pay the 
tithe. Jesus showed his sense of obedience to the 
law of Moses in many instances. For one, read 
Math. 9:4, in the connection of the healing of a 
leper: “Show thyself to the priest, and offer the 


TITHING 


27 


gift THAT MOSES COMMANDS for a testimony 
unto them.” 

One of the most commonly adhered to laws among 
the Jews was the prompt payment of the tithe. The 
Pharisees and Scribes again and again attempted to 
accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. Had JESUS 
made himself guilty of breaking any other weighty 
or insignificant law, without a doubt the ever vigilant 
Pharisees would eagerly and quickly have spread 
the news of CHRIST’S disobedience. We find no 
record of such an accusation. This argument seems 
sufficient proof for many that Jesus did pay the 
tithe. 

The two commonly cited passages referred to by 
expositors maintaining that Jesus endorsed the tithe 
are: Luke 11:42, “Woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye 
tithe mint and rue, and every herb, and pass over 
justice and the love of God; but these ought ye to 
have done and not to leave the other undone.” And 
Luke 23:23, “Ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, 
and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, 
judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have 
done and not to leave the other undone. 

Of JESUS, if of no other preacher, it can be said 
that He practiced what He preached. If Jesus said 
to others, “You ought to tithe,” then may we not 
conclude that Jesus also did pay the tithe? 

Why should we give just that per cent? For rea¬ 
sons already stated, it is a definite and biblical start- 


28 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


ing point (not necessarily the maximum), the one 
mostly adopted by earnest people practicing propor¬ 
tionate giving. 

The eminent Christian gentleman, Robert Speer, 
says in “Proportionate Giving”: 

“We need some practical abiding principle like this 
to make sure that the principle of stewardship is a 
reality in our lives. God never would have ordered 
it, if it had been a mere transitory matter; if it had 
not been for our good. He does not need tithes for 
himself. All ten-tenths of our wealth He can take 
away if He pleases. The principle of the tithe is 
needed by man. He made it clear, not as something 
for that time only, but as something for all time. 
Man’s moral constitution has not altered. The fact 
that it was good for man three thousand years ago is 
an evidence that it is good for him still. Our moral 
nature is the same across the lands and across the 
centuries, and the old principle was not a principle 
that belonged to a particular epoch, it was a prin¬ 
ciple that lay deep in human nature. 

“There is no objection that holds against the prin¬ 
ciple of the tithe that does not hold also against the 
principle of the Sabbath day. Both rest on the same 
ground of Old Testament sanction, New Testament 
recognition, moral claim and adaptation. And if the 
Sabbath had fallen into neglect as the tithe has done, 
the same arguments would be raised against its 
revival which are raised against the tithe.” 


TITHING 


29 


No right thinking Christian will fall into the mis¬ 
calculation that the other 9/10 is not also a trust, 
for it certainly is nothing less than that. Out of that 
portion, in reality, should come our free-will offer¬ 
ings. But aside from this fact it should be remem¬ 
bered that we have a stewardship to exercise over 
the other 9/10. All that we spend for our own main¬ 
tenance, all that we keep and save, is to be governed 
by the principles of trusteeship and stewardship, for 
we are accountable to God for all. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

DID JESUS ABROGATE THE TITHE ? 

1. Did Jesus abrogate the tithe? Give arguments for your 
answer. 

2. Explain the similarity between Sabbath law and tithe law. 

3. Why give just ten per cent to God? 

4. Why not limit our free-will offerings to the tithe? 

WHAT IS TO BE CONSIDERED MY INCOME ? 

Many people, after giving due consideration to the 
matter of tithing happily decide to become tithers. 
For some of these the vexing question almost imme¬ 
diately arises: But what is really my income? 

Mr. T. Kane, a pioneer in tithing, a man who per¬ 
haps as no other has made a study of the tithing 
principle for nearly fifty years, has this to say in 
his pamphlet: “How to Tithe and Why.” 


30 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


“What Constitutes My Net Income?” 

“If you are a farmer, it is all the money you re¬ 
ceive for the products of your farm and the cash 
value of all your family consumes. From this gross 
amount it is right to deduct, before tithing, all money 
paid for hired help, seed, feed, taxes, insurance, etc.; 
also the cash outlay for repairs on buidings, farm 
implements, etc. 

“If you are a physician your net income is your 
entire income less your professional expenses, such 
as office rent, medicines, cost of keeping a horse or a 
machine, etc. 

“If you are a lawyer, substantially the same rules 
apply as to a physician. 

“If you are a minister, it is the total amount you 
receive less traveling and other expenses connected 
with your parish and ministerial duties. 

“If you are a merchant or a manufacturer or a 
banker, of course you keep accurate accounts. Your 
net income is the gross profits of your business less 
strictly business, but not family or personal, ex¬ 
penses. 

“If you are a mechanic, employee and wage-worker 
in any capacity, whether by the day, month or 
year, your net income is your total income, less 
legitimate business expenses connected with your 
work, such as car fare, etc.” 

As for my personal view on the matter, for myself, 


TITHING 


31 


as a minister, I consider all money that I receive, be 
it salary, inheritance, presents, interest—if there be 
any—profits on any kind of sales, if there be any, 
as my income. All that T would count as my income, 
and all of that should be tithed. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
WHAT IS TO BE CONSIDERED MY INCOME 

1. How are we to calculate the net income of (a) a farmer, 
(b) a physician, (c) a clergyman, (d) a wage-worker? 

EFFECTS OF TITHING ON THE TITHER 

When an earnest person willingly becomes a tither 
he establishes as a life principle the habit of putting 
GOD FIRST. Greater spirituality is a result. The 
ultimate aim of all teaching on STEWARDSHIP 
must be directed to that goal. 

The experience is general, that the 9/10 
REACHES MUCH FARTHER than 10/10 ever 
reached before. 

The tither sees greater opportunities for doing 
good. He becomes known in his community as a 
powerful example. Thus his leadership becomes 
developed. 

Many a tither, who formerly conducted his own 
affairs in an entirely unbusinesslike way, through 
starting to keep account of God's tenth has to his 


32 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


own satisfaction unconsciously established account¬ 
keeping for himself. 

Lastly, let me mention this effect: GOD KEEPS 
HIS PROMISE AND BLESSES THE EARNEST 
CHRISTIAN TITHER GREATLY IN PERHAPS 
NEARLY ALL CASES, ALSO WITH TEMPORAL 
PROSPERITY! GOD MAKES HIM INDEED A 
GREATER SUCCESS. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

EFFECTS OF TITHING ON THE TITHER 

1. Why does tithing tend to deepen the spiritual life? 

2. From a purely materialistic standpoint, mention advan¬ 
tages of tithing. 

3. Does fact bear out the contention that nine-tenths spent 
after tithing reaches farther than ten-tenths spent self¬ 
ishly ? 


“CANT AFORD IT”’ 

Perhaps the most common excuse generally offered 
by people, when approached on the matter of tithing, 
is: “Can’t afford it.” Thousands of happy tithers 
testify to just the opposite, namely: “I CAN’T 
AFFORD NOT TO TITHE.” Every-day experience 
teaches us that people unhesitatingly say that they 
cannot do a certain thing, even without ever making 
the slightest attempt to perform that particular 
task. 

May I, AT THIS TIME, earnestly ask every reader, 


TITHING 


33 


man or woman, youth or maiden, boy or girl, prayer¬ 
fully and earnestly to ask himself or herself, Ought 
I Tithe My Income and Give It Toward God’s Causes? 
May You Decide Now to Become a Happy and Willing 
Tither! If you do so, without a doubt you also, as 
thousands upon thousands do, will experience joy 
and blessings in abundance, both spiritual and tem¬ 
poral; for the general experience is as one said: 
“That Happiness, Christian Liberality, and Pros¬ 
perity Go Together with Tithing.” 

Questions and Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
«CAN’T AFFORD IT” 

1. How may this most common excuse for not tithing be 
met? 

2. Did you ever hear a tither say, “I can’t afford to tithe?” 


3 


CHAPTER III 


TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS 
OF LIFE 

People are like books, in so far as they influence 
others. Every book you read is bound to make an 
impression on you; whether good or bad depends 
entirely upon the nature and character of the book. 
Every person with whom you come into close ac¬ 
quaintance becomes an example for you, good or bad 
as the case may be. 

That my readers may become influenced by godly- 
minded, board-minded, truly great and charitable 
examples, I call to your attention some of those who 
permitted God to use them, their talents and means, 
and whom God in turn has therefore truly made 
successful. 

A Rake Maker. The United Brethren Church will 
always hold in high esteem the name John Dodds, 
the Rake Manufacturer, of Dayton, Ohio. John 
Dodds practiced systematic giving. He gave away 
one-tenth, and more, of his income from the begin¬ 
ning of his business life. He spent great sums of 
money in building churches, and in helping the 
poor. One of John Dodds' own sayings, well worth 
remembering, was, “The more I made, the more I 
gave; and the more I gave, the more I made." 

34 


TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE 35 


A School Teacher. There was once a young lady, 
teaching in a country school. Her annual salary was 
$200. At that early time of her life she had already 
adopted the habit of giving to God’s good causes one- 
tenth of her small income. The person I refer to is 
Mrs. Russell Sage, who, as it is reported, has given 
away about $100,000,000. 

A Judge in Kentucky. Judge J. P. Hobson, Chief 
Justice of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky, and for 
many years a Presbyterian elder said: “The reason 
that most people do not tithe is that they believe 
they cannot afford it. It is with the greatest diffi¬ 
culty they get along as it is, and they do not see how 
they can spare a tenth. Many years ago, when my 
income was small and I had become involved in debt, 
it seemed to me I could pay nothing for the support 
of the church until my obligations were met, but; 
my wife said this would not do. So after talking the 
matter over, we concluded to try tithing. The tenth 
of all I made was laid aside and put in a jar. To our 
surprise, all demands were met; the jar was never 
empty, the fund grew. We did not miss the tenth. 
Since then I have always tithed, and am persuaded 
that if people would practice tithing, few Christians, 
after trying it faithfully, would be willing to deny 
themselves the privilege.” 

A Banker. The Hon. Chester Ward Kingsley, 
banker, of Boston, was a tither from the time he 
began earning money. He was a Massachusetts 


36 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Representative and later a Senator. When he was 
a young man he was led to the conclusion that he 
should give to benevolences one-tenth. It was in the 
church to which he belonged that he came to that 
noble conclusion. He has given to good causes over 
$500,000. 

A Nurse. In the Epworth Herald of September 27, 
1919, “Layman” writes: “Some fifteen years ago my 
then pastor, the late Dr. W. J. McCaughan, preached 
a sermon on tithing and asked for decisions. About 
forty signed tithing pledges. Among them was a 
trained nurse, who soon after was called to care for a 
patient in the country. About six months later the 
deacons, in counting the morning offering at church 
found in a plain white envelope six crisp $10 bills. 
No one had the slightest idea where they came from. 
The next Sunday morning the pastor noticed this 
young lady in her accustomed seat. After the ser¬ 
mon he hastened down the aisle to greet her. An¬ 
swering his questions, she said she had been home 
about ten days. Though nothing was said about the 
money, the mystery was solved. She told him that 
she had not been to church during her absence of six 
months. He knew that the usual wages of trained 
nurses were $25 a week, $100 a month, $600 for six 
months.” 

Another Banker. Mr. John S. Kennedy, a banker 
of New York, who died in 1909, started in business 
very modestly. It is said of him that he was a tither 


TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE 37 

from early life. He carried a separate account for 
KINGDOM work. The heading of that account read 
thus, “Behold the tenth of all I give unto Thee.” 

Mr. Kennedy’s business enterprises developed into 
immense proportions. His gifts to good causes ex¬ 
ceeded $25,000,000. 

Two People of World Renown. Among the books 
of Queen Victoria were found account books in which 
several transactions show that one-tenth of the 
amount received was entered under “Benevolences.” 

It has repeatedly been said that the great states¬ 
man, Gladstone, practiced and advocated tithing 
throughout his life. 

Two Great Preachers. In the beginning of his min¬ 
istry John Wesley received only a very small salary. 
He then began to give away one-tenth of his income. 
When Wesley’s salary improved, his gifts for church 
and benevolence also improved. He lived a very 
plain life so that he might be enabled to give the 
more to God’s causes. He developed such a desire 
for giving that in the later years of his ministry he 
gave to good works over three-fourths of his income. 

The subject of stewardship was not overlooked by 
the famous preacher and teacher, Spurgeon. He 
began to tithe early, but soon after decided that he 
would give away at least one-fifth of all his income. 
He carried out this resolution to the end of his life. 

Think for a moment how much good these two men 
must have done, in addition to the great good they 


38 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


did through their preaching, through the distribu¬ 
tion of their money, as stewards of God! 

A Senator of Today. Arthur Capper, now United 
States Senator from Kansas and formerly Governor 
of the same state, has become an example for many 
in well doing, through his attitude toward giving and 
tithing. It was in the First Baptist Church of 
Wichita, Kansas, that he pledged to tithe his income. 
It has been reported that over one hundred people 
immediately followed his example, also pledging 
their tithes to good and benevolent causes. 

Sophie Leitchenfels. Thousands of Christian peo¬ 
ple of New York City knew “Sophie.” She was a 
plain, hard-working woman. She was a member of 
Dr. Simpson’s Tabernacle of the assembly known 
as “The Christian and Missionary Alliance.” She 
was a happy Christian testifying for Christ where- 
ever she went. Her wages were small, yet she spent 
most of them for the Lord’s work. She has been the 
helper and rescuer of many a forlorn and almost 
despairing person. Her life was fully surrendered to 
the service of her Master. 

Mrs. H. B. Gibbud, a Christian mission-worker of 
174 Marion Street, Springfield, Mass., knew her from 
1885. 

“Sophie” died in November, 1919, after a useful 
life. Judging by a little tract which Mr. H. B. Gib- 
bud wrote about her, she was a modern Dorcas, full 
of good works. As in the death-chamber of Dorcas, 



I c 


SOPHIE 


t t 


39 
































































‘ 




















TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE 39 


little children, big children, men and women of all 
classes, from the slums and from the fashionable 
ranks mourned at her bier the departure of such a 
godly benefactor. 

Sofie Leitchenfels, that godly minded woman of 
New York, supported herself by the hard task of 
washing and schubbing—washing done with her own 
calloused hands, not with the comfort bringing elect¬ 
ric washer. 

This child of God soon exceeded giving the tithe. 
She gave to her Church and to charitable causes 
most of her earnings. She did it cheerfully, saying: 
“God lets me earn much more than my daily bread, 
and I expect to give most of my earnings back to 
Him in some way or another.” 

There was joy in that life that riches could not 
buy. 

“There is a joy in doing good 
The selfish never know— 

A draught so rich, so pure, so rare 
It sets the heart aglow.” 

Sophie Leitchenfels ‘lived to please God and to 
make unfortunate persons glad.’ 

Did you ever stop to think what joy you could 
bring into lives of little children who have not the 
comforts and luxuries that your own children have? 

Will you open your heart and hand and let hungry 
children be fed, and oldish, smileless, funless little 


40 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


faces be made to smile and grow like happy chil¬ 
dren's faces ? 

Rev. George Bruce. The Reverend Mr. Bruce is an 
influential Christian worker in the Presbyterian 
Church at Juneau, Alaska. In a letter he said, “To me 
personally, and my wife shares the same, tithing has 
been the greatest blessing of life. It is such a joy and 
privilege to give for the cause of His Church." 

The influence of a pastor who tithes always bears 
good fruits. About half of the members of that con¬ 
gregation tithe. A very interesting example is a boy 
of that church. “He always drops in a tenth. In my 
Sabbath School Class he dropped in a dollar recently, 
saying: ‘Just got paid for a ten dollar job this 
week.' ” 

Alaska Indians Tithe. The Rev. David Waggoner, 
also of Juneau, has a congregation of 60 Alaskan 
Indians. He has done more with those Indians than 
many a pastor has been able to do with his civilized 
Americans. In that Indian congregation of 60 souls, 
six persons tithe their income. I am sure that many 
a pastor in long established congregations envies 
Mr. Waggoner his accomplishments. 

The same pastor writes: “We have noticed a 
marked spiritual growth in our tithers, and an in¬ 
creased giving. One man was practically cheated out 
of a whole summer’s income through dishonest part¬ 
ners. He feels that the Lord helped him into another 



MR. GEORGE E. HAYS 




41 




































































































TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE 41 

position which supports his family, and this due to 
his honoring God with his substance. The tenth has 
been kept up in the midst of adversity.” 

In this particular church the natives have again 
and again wondered how it same that even the little 
children of the Waggoner home contributed toward 
the Church. It was told to them. “We give from our 
Tithe.” It has been said that this fact is responsible 
for the tithers which that Church has. There also 
example has done more than discourse. 

George E. Hays. Mr. Hays, president of the Louis¬ 
ville Seed Co. has been prominent in Louisville busi¬ 
ness circles since 1900 and is one of the most active 
laymen in the denomination in the South. 

He has held and still holds many positions of honor 
and distinction. He is a trustee of the Georgetown 
College of Georgetown, Ky. He is a member of the 
Walnut Street Baptist Church, in which he holds the 
position of deacon and is also teacher of the Baraca 
Bible Class. Mr. Hays is also a member of the Board 
of Trustees of the Kentucky Baptist Hospital, and 
one of the moving spirits in soliciting the funds for 
that organization. He is also a member of the Board 
of Trustees of the Hope Mission, on West Jefferson 
Street, and a member of the Executive Committee 
of the Southern Baptist Convention, one of the 
largest Protestant bodies in the world. He is one of 
the big men of Louisville and the South who are 


42 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


giving their time and experience to the causes of 
Christianity and Humanity. 

In a letter to me dated Oct. 3, 1921, he wrote: 

“I have been a tither for about twenty-three years. First, 
became interested by reading in a county paper an article 
on Tithing written by J. P. Hobson, who later became Chief 
Justice Hobson of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. 

“My income when I commenced tithing was $30 per month. 
The largest single subscription that I have made was $32,000, 
pledged to the Baptist 75 Million Campaign to be paid over 
a period of five years. 

“God has blessed me wonderfully.” 

The church to which Mr. Hays belongs is won¬ 
derfully prosperous, due largely to his faithfulness 
and stewardship principle. He was perhaps the only 
tither in that Church for years and years. But he 
believed in it and he talked it and he trusted God 
about it. His church has 1300 members. Due chiefly 
to the combined effort of Mr. Hays and his Pastor, 
that Church has won 350 of its members to tithe 
their income. It was apportioned to raise $150,000 
for five years for mission and educational work at 
home and abroad. That congregation oversubscribed, 
making it a total of $161,000. 

Be^r in mind that, 23 years ago, George Hays 
had a salary of only $30 a month. He must have a 
good salary at this time or he could not subscribe 
$32,000 in a five-year period for Baptist Mision work. 
That man has become a great success. 


TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE 43 

Reader! Can't we have a George Hays in your 
Church in several years from now? If so, some of 
you must start to tithe a small salary now. 

“One-tenth! and dost Thou, Lord, 

But ask this meager loan 
When all the earth is Thine 
And all we have Thine own?” 

We see that perseverance in teaching tithing ulti¬ 
mately wins out. 

Rev. Ralph S. Cushman. Mr. Ralph Cushman, 
author of several splendid books on Stewardship and 
Tithing, who was appointed secretary of the 
Stewardship Department for the Centenary of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, deserves much credit 
for the progress made in the Methodist Church, in 
convincing people that tithing, when practiced 
cheerfully, brings rich blessings. 

His experience, told in the little pamphlet, “The 
Story of the Geneva Church," should prove helpful 
to all who read it and wish to make their Church 
stronger and better. 

Mr. Cushman is correct when he says: “Steward¬ 
ship is the New Testament message for the present 
hour. It is more than tithing, but tithing will put 
the first teeth into Stewardship." 


44 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Study-Matter for Class TJse and Individuals 

TITHERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE 

1. Give illustrations of seven prominent tithers. 

2. Do you think Sophie Leitchenfels represents a type or 
is she merely an isolated case ? 

3. Give reasons for your answer. 

4. What lesson may we learn from the Alaska Indian mem¬ 
bers of Mr. Bruce's congregation? 

5. Why is tithing contagious? 

6. Does the fact that Mr. Hays tithes have any connection 
with his phenomenal success in business ? 


CHAPTER IV 

TITHERS I KNOW 

It has been the writer’s privilege to become per¬ 
sonally acquainted with many tithers during the 
last five or six years. 

In this chapter I do not refer to the hazy past, 
but to the present, relating experiences of tithers 
with whom I am personally acquainted. 

The acquaintance with Christian tithers does one 
good—for tithing is good, since it is PUTTING GOD 
FIRST. Do you wonder then when I say, those people 
are SUCCESSFUL. Their lives corroborate the bib¬ 
lical promise: “Bring ye all the tithes into the store- 
houes, that there may be meat in mine house, and 
prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, 
if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and 
pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be 
room enough to receive it.” Mai. 3,10. 

R. E. Diffendorfer. In a recent conversation with 
that well known and efficient Christian worker, 
Mr. R. E. Diffendorfer of New York City, I asked 
him his opinion on tithing. This is what he said: 
“I make the Tithe an acknowledgement of the fun¬ 
damental relationship of man to God, to each other 
and to things.” 

The Rev. H. Lee McClendon. The Rev. H. Lee 
45 


46 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


McClendon, formerly pastor of Calvary Baptist 
Church of Cleveland, Ohio, but now living in Chi¬ 
cago, found great joy and blessing in tithing. He 
not only tithed his income, money profits, etc., but 
he exactly measured and tithed the value of what¬ 
ever he received. If some one gave him a cake or a 
pound of butter, he would estimate the market 
value of that gift and then pay over into his tithe 
urn, cash equal to the tenth of the value of the par¬ 
ticular article. 

Once he was given sufficient money with which 
to make a trip to Texas and back. Naturally he 
tithed the amount before he undertook his journey. 

He said to me: “I have always feared that some 
day a congregation would present me with an auto¬ 
mobile. In that case I would be embarrassed, for I 
would not know wherewith to pay into my tithe urn 
one tenth of the value of the machine.” 

That man evidently has not much of the world's 
goods. But people of that character, type, and trust 
have joys and blessings which the world cannot 
offer nor buy. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures 
upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and 
where thives break through and steal. But lay up 
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do 
not break through nor steal: For where your trea¬ 
sure is there will your heart be also.” Matt. 6:19-21. 

Mr. James L. Sayler. We say the sun never sets, 



MR. JAMES L. 


SAYLER 






















- 















































, 





































. 








































TITHERS I KNOW 


47 


but shines continuously somewhere in the universe. 
As the sun exercises a life-giving influence even 
when we fail to see it, so a good man’s book often 
influences people while the author himself has no 
knowledge of it, even while he pursues his regular 
duties as a business man in his office. 

This is true also of Mr. James L. Sayler, tax at¬ 
torney for Halsey, Stuart and Co., Inc., a bond in¬ 
vestment house, of Chicago, Illinois. 

Mr. Sayler, a graduate of the Cincinnati Law 
School and the University of Chicago, well known 
among leading business people of Chicago and other 
cities, has written an exceptionally interesting little 
book on “American Tithers.” 

Some of the persons from various walks of life, 
referred to in his book are: 

Bankers: John Stewart Kennedy of New York 
City, Chester Ward Kingsley of Boston, and Jay 
Cooke, financier of the Civil War. 

Manufacturers: Founder of the Baldwin Locomo¬ 
tive Works, John H. Converse of Philadelphia, John 
Dodds of Dayton, Ohio, and Thomas Kane of Chi¬ 
cago. 

Merchants: William Christie Herron of Cincinnati, 
Isaac Rich and Alden Speare of Boston, Senator 
John MacDonald of Toronto, John T. Huyler of 
New York, and Robert Hamilton, a Canadian lum¬ 
berman. 


48 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Lawyers, Editors, Ministers, Educators: John 
Peyton Hobson of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, 
Daniel Sharp Ford, proprietor of the Youth’s Com¬ 
panion, Rev. Joseph Parker, a London Minister, 
Edwin Holt Hughes, Methodist Bishop, Harry Pratt 
Judson, president of the University of Chicago, John 
F. Goucher of Baltimore, and James Roscoe Day, 
Chancellor of Syracause University. 

Some leaders in Industry: Morris K. Jesup of 
New York, William E. Dodge of New York, and John 
D. Rockefeller. 

Mr. Sayler is not only a much respected business 
man but also a Churchman of envious qualities, a 
member of the First Presbyterian Church of 
Chicago. 

Mr. Sayler believes that Tithing is one of the fun¬ 
damentals of a lasting success, and that it is the 
true financial method for securing the funds to carry 
on the great work which lies ahead, not only in the 
American churches but in the missionary, hospital, 
sanitary, educational and religious work demanded 
of us, at home and abroad. 

Mr. Sayler’s little book “American Tithers”* 
throws much light on the subject of Stewardship 
and Tithing and has helped many a person. It should 
be read by all persons interested in the subject 
treated in this volume. 

♦Published by the Methodist Book Concern, New York and 
Cincinnati. 




MR. JOHN HAMII.iL 
“The Blacksmith Missionary” 


40 






■ 
















> 








f 






















































TITHERS I KNOW 


49 


John Hamill. Tithing is contagious. The following 
story, like many others, illustrates this fact. 

John Hamill lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He is known 
by his church people as the Blacksmith Missionary. 
He used to be a blacksmith. He now is engaged by 
the East Ohio Gas Company to look after the re¬ 
pairs of trucks and autos. A number of years ago he 
contributed only $5 to $6 annually toward his church 
treasury. His vision has grown. He heard a sermon 
on Tithing. He began to tithe. 

He told me about two years ago, that within the 
last twelve months he averaged an income of $43 a 
week, amounting to $2236 a year. Out of that he 
gave to his church, missions, and God's good causes 
between $700 and $800. And he gave it cheerfully. 

No, he did not inherit money! He told me that 
every dollar he ever had, he had to work for. 

No, he is not a single man, who has no cares but 
his own! He is a married man and has two children, 
depending on him for support. 

Mr. Hamill is supporting a misionary in Africa, 
Miss Gertrude Bowyer. This young lady tithes her 
meager income. She gave me the picture of two of 
her black converts. The one is so happy about the 
Christian religion that he gives one-tenth to God's 
work; the other gives one-seventh. 

The church to which Mr. Hamill belongs has a 
4 


50 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


membership between 300 and 400. That congrega¬ 
tion is paying the entire expenses for seven mission¬ 
aries, in different countries. 

Have you a John Hamill in your congregation ? 

(Reader! Can’t you become an example for others 
in your church, as John Hamill did in his church ? 

Gertrude Bowyer, Missionary in East Africa. 
Love for God and the joy in the Master’s service 
prompted David Livingstone to live in solitude and 
deprivation instead of in luxury. 

I know a young Christian tither in Africa, Miss 
Gertrude Bowyer, whose life, possessions and talents 
are consecrated to God. Only the Master knows how 
much blessing, cheer and sunshine she has already 
sent into dark Africa. The following words express 
her own view on tithing and serving the Lord. 

4 'My own personal testimony is this, that it pays 
spiritually, temporally and every other way to give 
not only a tenth of all I get to the Lord, but all that 
is possible, but I have learned that before my gifts 
can be accepted I must consecrate MYSELF to Him. 
I would no more think of using any money that I 
received without first taking out a portion for the 
Lord than taking from my neighbor’s house money 
which did not beong to me.” 

Miss Bowyer related the following to me about 
Ibulahimu Miliangu and Timoteo Mabula. 



' Si SPI 


MISS GERTRUDE BOWYER 






TITHERS I KNOW 


51 


“Ibulahimu Miliangu* is a Christian black man in 
East Africa. He is also a teacher of the Word of 
Life among his own people, the Basukuma tribe. 
According to II Cor. 8:5, he first gave himself unto 
the Lord, who by the Holy Spirit taught him then 
to give himself unto us by the will of God. Now he 
receives from the Evangelistic Fund a monthly al¬ 
lowance of seven Rupees, which is about $2.45 in 
American money. One day a letter came to us from 
him enclosing two Rupees for the Lord and request¬ 
ing that those in charge keep back one Rupee each 
month to help send the gospel to other districts. 
It is admitted that this man prospers in his Chris¬ 
tian life and in everything to which he puts his 
hand, because of the Lord’s blessing in his life. 

“Tlmoteo Mabula is also a man of God and a 
teacher among his own people. Though he is a son 
of Ham, his heart has been washed white by the 
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. In one of our Sun¬ 
day morning services this man gave a little exhor¬ 
tation on giving. He said that unless one gives from 
the heart he will receive no blessing. Some were 
in the habit of waiting until Sunday morning and 
then begging a few cents from their neighbors to 
put in the offering, just simply for show. They 
were thus giving that which was not their own and 

•The author of “Three Greater Successes” Is personally ac¬ 
quainted with every person mentioned in the chapter ''Tithers I 
Know,” with the exception of Ibulahimu Miliangu and Timoteo 
Mabula. 



52 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


which cost them nothing, and of course could not 
realize any blessing in their souls. He himself sets 
apart one-tenth of his meager allowance for the 
Lord, and so always has something to give when 
the opportunity presents itself; and also has clothes 
and food when others have not. Just a glance at his 
bright face would convince any one of his deep joy 
in the Lord.” 

“Layman” ■— Thomas Kane. Persistency will win. 
This assertion has proved true in business, educa¬ 
tion, learning, art, and religion. 

For forty-six years Mr. Thomas Kane, generally 
spoken of as “Layman,” has taught tithing to 
millions of people; and what is better, he has con¬ 
vinced thousands upon thousands. 

The writer is personally acquainted with Mr. 
Kane and can testify with Mr. Brummit that he who 
has harped on the one string “Tithing” for over 
forty years has not soured, but is the “sunniest, 
kindliest of men, with a wide range of interest.” It 
has been a real inspiration for the writer to know 
this persistent, energetic, earnest, devoted teacher 
of “Tithing.” 

There was a Columbus who gave to us America. 

There was a Luther who persisted and with the 
help of God brought forth the Reformation. 

There is a “Layman”—Thomas Kane—who has 
influenced denominations, churches and individuals 



MR. THOMAS KANE 
Who Has Taught Millions 






TITHERS I KNOW 


53 


to reckon with God and to give God His portion. 
This man has caused rivers of Gold to flow into 
church treasuries and mission fields where before 
only drops were noticed. 

Thomas Kane has sent showers of blessing into 
thousands of congregations and homes and into per¬ 
haps millions of individual lives, through his 
stewardship and tithing literature. 

According to the judgment of men who have pro¬ 
moted Stewardship and Tithing propaganda it has 
been generally conceded that Thomas Kane has 
been persistent in teaching “Tithing” and that his 
efforts, more than any other person’s, have paved 
the way for greater financial enterprises in the 
Church of Jesus Christ. 

Due chiefly to this pioneer in tithing 91,058,100 
pages of Tithing Literature were sent out during 
the five years from Jan. 1, 1917, to Dec. 31, 1921. 

For years Mr. Kane has maintained an office in 
Chicago, from which he has sent out Tithing tracts 
at less than the cost of printing. 

The present office of The Layman Cbmpany is 
at 35 North Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill. 

Through Layman’s Tithing Literature* many a 
Church has received a new vision and many a per¬ 
son has become a happy partner with God. 


•Write to The Layman Company for free samples of literature. 



54 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


S. D. Gordon, Author and Speaker. Mr. S. D. 

Gordon, that meek yet singularly effective and in¬ 
fluential speaker, well-known author of “The Quiet 
Talks,” made the following statement to me: 

“The tithe is really a recognition that all we have 
belongs to our Lord and is to be held in trust for 
Him. Without question tithing conscientiously re¬ 
acts blessedly on one’s personal life; and it releases 
in the aggregate, vast sums to make Jesus known 
to men.” 

Mr. Gordon, while considering one-tenth the start¬ 
ing-point in stewardship for himself, is not satisfied 
to give God so small a portion. He far exceeds the 
tithe. 

Honorable Jesse A. Baldwin. Hon. Jesse. A. Bald¬ 
win, a man well known, honored and respected by 
multitudes of Chicago’s best citizens, and equally 
appreciated outside of Chicago, a man who has 
served his people in rectitude and fortitude, said 
to the writer recently: 

“I believe in the system of supporting religious 
work by systematic tithing: 

“(1) Because it gets results. If we can get the 
religious people of the land to give one-tenth of 
their income for religious and benevolent work, the 
financial problems of our churches and missions will 
be solved. 

“(2) Because it enables expenses for religious 



MR. S. D. GORDON 
Author of “The Quiet Talks’' 



HONORABLE JESSE A. BALDWIN, 
who served as Judge of the Circuit Court in Chicago 
for twelve years. 










« 
















* ■ 
















» 











TITHERS I KNOW 


55 


and benevolent work to be borne proportionately; 
each person has an opportunity to do his share. If 
adopted, the churches would be able to meet all 
financial obligations, instead of being, as they often 
are, delinquent and unbusiness-like. 

“(3) Because it is flexible. If prosperity comes, 
the individual contribution and responsibility are 
greater; if misfortune or unemployment overtake 
one, his financial responsibility will be less. 

“Perhaps, however, the strongest argument in 
favor of tithing is that, being regular, it develops 
the habit of systematic giving^ and, like any other 
Christian or non-Christian practice, it is strength¬ 
ened by use. The recognition by Christian people, 
generally, of the fact that the great call for re¬ 
ligious and benevolent work cannot be met without 
the co-operation of religious people, is of vital im¬ 
portance. 

“Lastly, in over forty years that I have practiced 
tithing, it has been a growing and continually in¬ 
creasing pleasure to me to contribute to the various 
religious and benevolent objects brought to my at¬ 
tention; and, like other habits which grow in 
strength by continued practice, it becomes easy and 
perfectly natural to give, not one-tenth merely, but 
much more, making that a minimum. 

“The adoption of the principle of tithing by me 
is due to the active influence of my friend, Mr. 
Thomas Kane, of Chicago, who, under the title 


56 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


‘Layman/ has done more in the way of developing 
Christian giving than any other ten men I know. 
Through him, my attention was called to the mat¬ 
ter, and I have always been grateful to him for the 
satisfaction the practice of tithing has given me.” 

The writer knows that, while Judge Baldwin 
started with giving to God’s work one-tenth, he 
soon far exceeded the tenth in his contributions 
and gifts. 

Fred W. Ramsey. Sixteen years ago, at a religious 
meeting at the Cleveland Y. M. C. A., I was privi¬ 
leged to meet an enthusiastic young Christian busi¬ 
ness man. 

Perhaps no Protestant minister in Cleveland could 
truthfully say, “I don’t know that name, Fred W. 
Ramsey.” 

Fred W. Ramsey has been, so to say, in the lead 
in many great united church programs, and has al¬ 
ways taken special interest in the annual Protestant 
Lenten services conducted in Cleveland. 

He yearly extends an invitation to all Protestant 
ministers of Cleveland, to enjoy a day of retreat and 
communion with God, and Christian fellowship, at 
his beautiful summer home near Gates Mills. 

Mr. Ramsey has been superintendent of one of 
the largest Sunday Schools in Cleveland, that of 
the Calvary Evangelical Church. But let me give you 
a glimpse into this man’s business career. 


TITHERS I KNOW 


57 


He was placed at a bench and given his first job 
—sorting a box of bolts and nuts—at the Cleveland 
Metal Products Company. From that time his rise 
was steady until he became President of the Cleve¬ 
land Metal Products Company, which has had one 
of the largest payrolls in Cleveland. From this posi¬ 
tion he retired in February, 1922. 

In 1918 and 1920 Mr. Ramsey was a vice-president 
of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. 

For several years he has been a director of the 
Cleveland Trust Company. 

He is serving his church in a business capacity 
as a trustee of its educational institutions at Naper¬ 
ville, Illinois. 

This gentleman, although only 42 years of age, 
retired from the presidency of the Cleveland Metal 
Products Company so that he might devote more 
of his time to religious, civic, and humanitarian 
activities. Mr. Ramsey is of the opinion that men 
who think to acquire wealth and prominence, re¬ 
tiring at the age of 65—75, and hold out the promise 
that at that late time of life they will devote their 
accumulated wealth and the rest of their energy 
and life in doing good, have the wrong plan. 

He believes that men should thus give themselves 
while yet in the freshness and best power of life. 

Perhaps one fruitful source of Mr. Ramsey's Chris¬ 
tian success and business success is to be found 


58 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


in the fact, that he was a very cheerful tither. He 
has told me himself that he has found much bless¬ 
ing and great joy through tithing. 

Glenn Long. It has been a general experience in 
Christian circles that cheerful tithers are always 
also the best Church members and most interested 
Church workers. 

Glenn Long, a young man (about 31 years of age) 
employed in the railway mail service and living at 
6641 Normal Blvd., Chicago, an elder of the Engle¬ 
wood Christian Church, Stewart Avenue and Sixty- 
sixth Place, devotes about one half of his time to 
mail-service work. The other time belongs to him. 

He told his pastor, “I am willing to spend my free 
time at the Church office and in Church work out¬ 
side. I could do other work for pay, but I prefer to 
do good, and this is one way in which to do it.” 

Mr. Long said to me about Church finances, 
“There is no other way than this tithing in hand¬ 
ling the Lord’s money and being on the square.” 

Mr. R. K. Wilson. Mr. R. K. Wilson, a railroad 
man and a member of the same Church as Mr. 
Long, told me the following story: 

“Fifteen years ago when I married, my wife and 
I had $50. That was our whole wealth and property. 
We resolved to tithe the $50. We have tithed ever 
since. The Lord has surely prospered us.” 


TITHERS I KNOW 


59 


Will the readers please pardon my personal re¬ 
ference? 

About a year ago a pastor, returning one of my 
questionnaires on tithing, remarked in his letter: 
“I wonder if all ministers who preach tithing are 
tithers themselves ?” 

I certainly think that, if not all pastors, then at 
least those who preach tithing should be tithers. 

Not to leave anyone in doubt as to my personal 
practice, I make this statement. 

I have been in the ministry since August, 1905. 

With the exception of about eight or ten months 
in these seventeen years, I have cheerfully tithed 
all my income. 

I can truthfully say that the practice has been 
a source of inestimable joy to me. God has blessed 
me spiritually and materially because of it. I regret 
only that out of the seventeen years eight or ten 
months were, spiritually and materially, like a des¬ 
ert compared to an oasis. 

I started to tithe when my salary as a pastor was 
inadequate to pay for the necessities of life. Through 
the goodness of God, however, it was made possible 
for me to sell books and teach. Thus my income 
covered expenses. I never had great luxuries, but 
God never yet let me want. His goodness and His 
blessings are always increasing. I hope to tithe or 
to do better as long as I live. 


60 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


It would be easy matter to continue relating the 
experiences of dozens and dozens of other tithers, 
but my fond hope is that the testimonies of the 
persons mentioned in this chapter may be sufficient 
—that they will move every conscientious reader 
prayerfully to try tithing for himself and thus to 
“prove” God, “if he will not open you the windows 
of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there 
shall not be room enough to receive it.” 

A very direct means to the highest kind of suc¬ 
cess is that of obedience to the eternal law of God. 

You may expect truly to become a greater success, 
spiritually and otherwise, if you learn to take God 
at His word. Mai. 3:10: “Bring ye all the tithes to 
the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house 
and prove me now herewith, said the Lord of 
Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven 
and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be 
room enough to receive it.” 

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His right¬ 
eousness and all these things shall be added unto 
you.” 

The experiences of the persons referred to in this 
and the foregoing chapter have been the same as 
those of thousands of others—“There is that scat¬ 
tered and yet increased.” Proverbs 11:24. 

“He which soweth sparingly shall reap also spar- 


TITHERS I KNOW 


61 


ingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap 
also bountifully.'' II Cor. 9:6. 

Cheerfully to tithe is nothing less than to be a 
partner with God. To be a partner with God leads 
to success. 

Can my reader imagine what streams of blessing 
the tithers herein mentioned have already sent out 
into the world through their material contributions ? 
What a world it would be if all did likewise! Will 
you? 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

TITHERS I KNOW 

1. Discuss Baldwin's argument in favor of tithing. 

2. Compare the testimonies of the various tithers. 

3. Wherein are all agreed? 

4. What does this prove? 

5. Can you give any valid reason why you should exclude 
yourself from this class of men and women who truly 
derive the greatest joy out of life, and who experience 
God’s blessings in so abundant measures? 


PART II 

CHAPTER V 

GOD'S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN'S 
FOR THE CHURCH 

The church has been awarded the distinction of 
being the greatest and loftiest institution on earth. 

She has, however, been derided because of the 
indifference and smallness with which many of her 
members have been satisfied to handle her affairs. 

Perhaps not the least cause for the church’s in¬ 
ability to grapple effectually with the gigantic prob¬ 
lems which she should solve, has been one undeni¬ 
able fact. Generally speaking, men and women have 
begrudgingly, stingily supported the greatest insti¬ 
tution on earth, God’s Church. 

Many business concerns have gone bankrupt, 
simply because no strict system of business account¬ 
ing and bookkeeping was adhered to. The method 
of “money came, money went” brought failure. 

You would deem him a poor business manager, 
storekeeper, or contractor who would not conduct 
his work along the line of strict business methods. 
Yet people fail to apply system and good common 
sense in financing the greatest business on earth— 
the Church of God. 

It is high time for us as reasonable people to get 

63 


64 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


away from the silly idea that, as soon as we speak 
of adopting more business-like ways to carry on 
and to finance the work of the Church, we sin, as 
some would say. 

I think greater sinning has been done by letting 
the Church and God’s work be financed in unbusi¬ 
ness-like ways. 

I really believe that more damage has been done 
to God’s holy institution—the Church—by the 
meager financial support which many give it, than 
has been done by the writings and lecturing of all 
prominent agnostics and infidels together. 

Many persons admonish that business methods 
must be kept out of the Church, since it is the 
institution of the most high God. 

Let me say to such objectors: Yes, the Church is 
the institution of the most high God. But God is a 
God of order. 

He has been displeased, yes, even grieved, long 
enough, over the fact that people are willing to 
look upon nearly every undertaking on earth in a 
business-like way, excepting the Church, which 
many are willing to let run on in a haphazard, easy, 
lethargic way. 

God is a God of order and of business. He has 
prescribed throughout His word the business 
methods to be used. 

“Upon the first day of the week let every one of 


GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN’S 


65 


you lay by him in store, as GOD HATH PROS¬ 
PERED HIM, that there be no gatherings when I 
come.” 1 Cor. 16:2. 

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that 
there may be meat in mine house.” Mai. 3:10. 

Your local Church will be a success to the extent 
that your members are good Christians. If they 
neglect prayer, many blessings will be absent in the 
Church. 

If they “rob God,” as Scripture puts it, by giving 
only sparingly, stingily and unwillingly, then God’s 
greatest blessings will likewise be withheld. 

Now and then we express our appreciation and 
self-satisfaction concerning the work the Church 
of Christ is doing on earth. But how lamentably 
little is being accomplished, contrasted with what 
Christ expects His Church really to do. 

No one has a right to criticize the inadequacy 
with which the Church moves on until he or she 
has become a payer of a tenth to God’s causes. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE CHURCH 

1. Do you believe in a business plan for the Church? Rea¬ 
sons for or against. 

2. What, in your mind, is the greatest obstacle in the way 
of progress for the Church today? 

3. Is the Church becoming too materialistic or are we 
simply making it more efficient? 

5 


66 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


VACATION, RECREATION, EDIFICATION AND 
EVANGELIZATION FOR ALL ISRAEL.* 

God had a wonderful plan for financing His 
Church. He had a wonderful plan for maintaining 
the brotherhood idea of mankind in the great feasts 
of the Jewish people. 

He had a great plan, also, for making possible to 
all mankind, rich and poor, recreation and vacation, 
recreation being combined with religious feasts and 
gatherings. 

All this He planned; all this could have been car¬ 
ried out. The entire world could have been evan¬ 
gelized long before now if mankind had kept up the 
practice of the first, second, and third tithe, inaugu¬ 
rated by Jehovah.** 

But alas! Idolatry, selfishness, avarice and covet¬ 
ousness of mankind have postponed the evangeliza¬ 
tion and christianizing of the world. Let me be 
optimistic enough to say, that mankind has only 
postponed the great program of God. 


♦The reader would spend time very profitably in reading Mr. 
Arthur Babbs’ book, “The Law of the Tithe.” 

♦♦The first tithe was for the maintenance of the religion of God 
and for Temple expense. The second tithe was to be spent yearly 
in traveling, for lodging and living expenses while staying at the 
feast at Jerusalem. Thus the people were enabled to keep up 
friendship and acquaintance. The third tithe was a love tithe, 
which provided an outing, a vacation with a spiritual program, 
once every third year, for every person, richest and poorest alike, 
throughout the entire holy land. God had a fine plan. Man has 
forgotten God’s plan. 



GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN’S 


67 


0 Reader, 0 Church, awake from thy Slumber! 
Give God his share! 

The church of God must regain her God-designed 
place and importance. The Christian in the local 
church and the church as a body must learn and con¬ 
fess as never before, that treasuries upon treasuries 
have been withheld from God—treasuries which God 
wanted spent for the spread of His doctrine, His 
Kingdom, and humanity's betterment. 

The Church lacks blessings because she lives in 
open disobedience to God. 

When the Christian Church goes back to the for¬ 
saken way of God's own choosing of financing His 
Kingdom affairs, then—and not before—will she be 
overwhelmed with joy over God's promised blessings 
and her successes. Mai. 3:10. 

Many of our personal failures and many of our 
Church failures and defeats came because we robbed 
God of the tithe. Did you rob Him? 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

VACATION, RECREATION, EDIFICATION AND EVAN¬ 
GELIZATION FOR ALL ISRAEL 
1. Why does God want us to tithe? Describe the 0. T. 

plan of tithing. 

THE OLD WAY OF PAYING CHURCH EXPENSES 

The foregoing chapter pictured the good methods 
used in the old days of the Bible for maintaining 
God's temple and for supporting God’s religion. 


68 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


The term “Old Way” used in this chapter refers, 
however, to the bad method in vogue even as recent 
as our own generation. 

When I was a boy, living in Chicago, I attended a 
Church fair. I saw a man buy a ticket for a round 
at the dance. Next I saw him go where all kinds of 
drinks —hard and soft—were on sale. “Come here,” 
he called to the women, men and young folks. “Come 
here! I’ll treat you. Let’s have a good time. It’s 
for the Church and for the Lord’s cause.” 

Sidney Gregg says in his book: 

“Some Churches have gone to such extremes that 
they have turned the place of worship into an enter¬ 
tainment resort and a house of merchandise. 

“They have relied upon such plans for so long that 
the members know very little about genuine free-will 
giving. 

“Many of them prefer to spit at a crack in the 
wall, at ten cents a chance, and try their luck with 
a grab-bag, or pay for tickets to a freak entertain¬ 
ment gotten up by the women, rather than give their 
money outright. Something must be offered in re¬ 
turn either to eat, or to laugh at, before they will 
‘contribute’.” 

Reader! Can God be pleased with such methods 
for supporting His Church treasury ? That is mock¬ 
ing God. Can He be pleased with such methods? 
No! never—never! But God loveth a cheerful giver. 


GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN’S 


69 


I am glad to state, that it seems as if in general 
people have realized that the “claptrap—restaurant 
—ice cream—sideshow” method of raising money is 
detrimental to spiritual life and a hindrance rather 
than a help to the finances. 

I agree that conditions are better in our day than 
they were twenty or thirty years ago—but they are 
still far from being good. 

Asking the church to refrain from money-making 
socials, should not be misunderstood as asking the 
church not to function in a social way. 

Certainly we should have sociability and social 
gatherings among the people of the church and com¬ 
munity. Socials should, however, not be held for the 
purpose of raising money. 

Every congregation should have a yearly budget 
for current expenses and also for benevolences and 
missions. In the budget for the local church, reser¬ 
vation should be made of an adequate sum with 
which to pay for all orderly social functions. 

If this were done, the church people could have 
very pleasant entertainments, socials and enjoy¬ 
ments, and the argument would never arise: “Oh, 
they are in need of funds; therefore they want to 
sell us a little ice cream, supper or such.” 

Is it not a denial of the statement, that we love the 
Church and God's Kingdom if we support it by sales, 
socials, shows, etc., instead of with free-will offer¬ 
ings and tithes? 


70 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Besides the funds from the illegitimate sources 
mentioned above, a purer tributary has also emptied 
into the Church treasury. That was the old-time 
Church dues. 

The head of the family, the father would pay $3 
or $4 or $5 or $6 or $10 toward the Church treasury 
annually. That was considered the family’s financial 
Church obligation. The father paid that small sum 
for himself and the entire family. Often there were 
four to eight children in the family, some of them 
wage-earners. But according to the old custom all 
were exempt from obligations as long as father paid 
a few dollars in Church dues yearly. 

It is ridiculous that in our enlightened day anyone 
still should be satisfied to consider $5 to $10 as re¬ 
spectable Church dues even for people of small means 
—as ridiculous as it would be for people living in our 
cities today to be satisfied with the little old lard 
lamp or tallow candle instead of the electric light, 
or to ride on Fifth Avenue in a cart drawn by oxen 
instead of an automobile. 

Oh yes, some have improved on the $5-to-$10 
standard; some have doubled their contribution. But 
that also is, figuring with our times and circum¬ 
stances, as much out of proportion and of reason as 
it would be for a farmer to use the old-time flail 
instead of the modern threshing machine. 

To put it mildly, as regarding Church dues and 
Church and Kingdom supports, many people are hun- 


GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN’S 


71 


dreds of years behind the times in their small way 
of figuring. They are in a deadly sleep and it is high 
time for them to wake up. 

Is it a wonder that congregations are often con¬ 
sidered hopeless, lifeless organizations? 

God never meant it to be so. People through their 
selfishness, ungodliness and stinginess have brought 
about this condition that provokes criticism and ridi- 
rule from the lips of scoffer, scorner and unbeliever. 

We are still considering the faulty old way of 
securing funds for the Church and Kingdom. 
Neither the barbarian method of Church fairs, 
chances and shows, nor the meager Church dues, 
have supplied the needed monies. Some other way 
must be found to raise funds. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
THE OLD WAY OF PAYING CHURCH EXPENSES 

1. What is the old way of paying church expenses ? 

2. Why was it popular? 

3. Why is it falling into disrepute? 

4. What can you say for or against it? 

5. Why are some congregations considered hopeless? 

SPASM-LIKE GIVING 

(Perhaps a furnace of the Church needs to be re¬ 
paired, the organ needs attention, or coal for the 
winter must be laid in. The pastor is authorized by 
his Church council to make a plea: Since our funds 


72 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


are low and we need to have a little repairing done, 
etc., we ask you members to bring an extra offering 
for this purpose on the coming Sunday. 

Sunday comes. The collection is found wanting. 
The repair has not been contracted for. On the next 
Sunday the pastor repeats his plea. In this spasm¬ 
like way the little amount is finally secured. 

The repairs are made. A few months pass and 
other needs arise. Again the shepherd of the flock 
must step before his people, nearly begging for an¬ 
other collection. The wealthy twist in their seats 
uncomfortably. One whispers to his neighbor, “It 
is too bad, this begging never stops.” At the same 
time a poor washwoman in another pew makes a vow 
to God that she will give a goodly share from her 
little hard-earned means. 

The writer agrees with the wealthy man: It is 
too bad, this begging never stops! 

0 wealthy man or woman—begrudging, stingy 
Church-member! Remember “the Lord sits over 
against the treasury” and notes the size of each one's 
contribution. Learn then from the plain wash¬ 
woman to give a goodly portion of your wealth to 
God the giver and possessor of all things. Remember 
it is not at all reported that the rich man in the gos¬ 
pel ever did any great wicked deed—but it is plainly 
shown that, with all his wealth, he never did much 
good. That was his sin, and he was damned and 
lost. 


GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN’S 


73 


“It is too bad, this begging never stops.” 

It will never stop till people accept God’s way of 
financing the Church and charitable and humani¬ 
tarian enterprises. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
SPASM-LIKE GIVING 

1. What is meant by “spasmodic giving”? Why is it to 

be condemned? 

THE NEWER WAY OF PAYING 

To bring about helpful changes in the Church 
seems exceedingly hard. People often are slow to 
recognize the virtue of any innovation. 

Certain groups of church people not so very long 
ago considered it almost sacrilegious to have an 
organ or similar instrument in the church. But today 
we know that the church organ is not only tolerated, 
but that the worshippers are actually helped by it 
in their devotions in coming closer to God, and that 
therefore, God is pleased by its use. 

The weekly and duplex envelope system was an 
innovation in the church, which was treated with no 
less dread, fear and prejudice than the sin-marked 
church organ. 

Today perhaps the greater percentage of congre¬ 
gations in Christendom use and praise this newer 
system for raising church and missionary funds. 


74 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Some folks fought its installation with hate and 
prejudice, as one would fight against real vice and 
heinous crime. Even such opposers are now recon¬ 
ciled to the fact that it is a help to the Church, to 
the Kingdom of God, and to each individual who uses 
the weekly envelopes. 

I have never yet heard of a single congregation 
which, having inaugurtaed that system, did not 
speak highly of it. 

Multitudes of church secretaries and pastors have 
voiced their unanimous opinion, happily admitting, 
that the system enabled the congregation easily to 
pay all expenses and to make a fair contribution 
toward denominational missions and benevolences. 

If my reader belongs to a congregation which has 
not yet adopted the weekly and duplex envelope sys¬ 
tem, by all means use your utmost influence to have 
it adopted. It is certainly a great improvement over 
the old system of paying a few dollars Church dues 
once or twice a year. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
THE NEWER WAY OF PAYING 

1. Give a detailed discussion of the merits of the envelope 
system. 

2. How would you undertake to convince one opposed to it 
of its value ? 


GOD’S BUSINESS PLAN VERSUS MAN’S 


75 


THE BEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY OF PAY¬ 
ING YOUR SHARE TOWARDS GOD’S WORK 

The writer is of the opinion that before many 
decades the present good weekly-envelope system 
will be looked upon as antiquated and just as inade¬ 
quate money by fairs, barbarian method of raising 
church money by fairs, chances, shows, etc., is looked 
upon. 

In twenty or thirty years our present compli¬ 
mented, truly helpful, weekly-envelope system will 
probably, it is true, still be in use. But it is my be¬ 
lief that the weekly envelopes, when then thought 
of as containing the small amounts that they enclose 
in our days, will then be considered as much out of 
date as the old way of fathers paying a few dollars 
annually for the whole family. 

But what then is to happen ? 

The same kind of weekly envelopes should be per¬ 
mitted to those who want them. But the amount 
to be placed in them is to be vastly larger than now. 

How is this change to be accomplished? 

By concentrated effort on the part of the leaders 
of all churches to enlighten and educate all church 
members on the subject of stewardship and tithing. 

The best way of paying all church and Kingdom 
expenses is to have the members pay goodly sums 
out of the tithe of their earnings. 

Even today some church-member tithers keep a 


76 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


special checking account, no longer using the weekly 
envelopes, but mailing to their church treasurers a 
monthly check—in some cases checks of more than 
one hundred dollars. 

It is not unreasonable to believe that the day is 
coming when all congregations, that do not teach and 
practice tithing will be considered at least a little 
out of date. 

Some churches originally opposed the church 
organ; many churches once opposed the weekly en- 
venope system—but countless numbers have now 
accepted both. 

The teaching of the tithe principle will be vigor¬ 
ously and vehemently opposed by short-sighted con¬ 
gregations, while the alert wide-awake church is joy¬ 
fully welcoming the innovation. 

The sooner your church starts, the better for it. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

THE BEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY OF PAYING 
YOUR SHARE TOWARD GOD’S WORK 

1. What is God’s way of having money raised for the 
Church ? 

2. Why does not this plan meet with universal approval at 
once? 


CHAPTER VI 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND 
ORGANIZATIONS 

ADVICE TO CHURCH COUNCILS 

We cannot get away from the fact that the Church 
must be managed in a business-like way. 

The fact that every congregation has a Church 
Council, also called Church Board, to look after the 
business of the Church, demonstrates this argument. 

Every big business, every bank, etc., has a govern¬ 
ing board; so has every Church. It must be so. 

The members of a bank board or any other worth¬ 
while business are carefully chosen; not everybody 
and anybody will do. Certain requirements and 
qualifications must be met before a person can be 
admitted into such a board of directors. 

Here let me impart a bit of kind advice to present 
Church board members. 

The desire of any right thinking Church board 
member should be to serve his Church and the King¬ 
dom of God in the greatest and most helpful way. 
If that is not your desire then you should not be a 
member of the council. 

Next, remember that it should be the desire of 
every right-thinking Church-board member to have 
77 


78 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


with him only such men on the Church board, as 
unselfishly want to serve their Church and the King¬ 
dom of God in the greatest, most helpful and effec¬ 
tive way. 

An indispensable qualification of a good Church- 
board member is a positive belief and trust in God 
and Christ. 

A good Church-board member is also a praying 
person. 

“By their fruits ye shall know them.” God alone 
knows our hearts and thoughts. 

But now accept the next bit of kind advice. 

Another indispensable qualification of a good 
Church-board member is this: That he be a cheer¬ 
ful, liberal giver. 

It is the author's opinion that the first indispen¬ 
sable qualification, namely, a positive belief and 
trust in God and Christ, has not been met by a 
great percent of the Church-council members, since 
there are so little fruits. 

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” 

“Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, 
shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he 
that doeth the will of my Father which is in 
heaven.” Matt. 7:20-21. 

This leads us back to the consideration of the 
second indispensable qualification of a good Church- 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 79 


board member; namely that he be a cheerful, liberal 
giver. 

The writer believes it to be an undeniable fact, 
that many great and God-willed tasks of the Church 
have never been performed, for the simple reason 
that many leaders of the Church, many Church- 
board members throughout the world, have stood 
in the way of progress and success through their 
unwillingness to give and to have others give liber¬ 
ally and cheerfully. 

Many pastors could make the same statement that 
I make regarding the poor and the rich in the 
church. 

In all my ministry I have not yet found four poor 
persons who objected to the amounts the church ex¬ 
pects from her members. But every now and then 
a comfortably situated or wealthy person will offer 
excuses something like this: “The Church is asking 
too much. The poor people don't like it; they can't 
afford it; they must not always be asked to make 
contributions for various causes." 

Not in all cases, but in most, the persons talking 
in this way are hypocrites, caring very little about 
the poor (like Judas, Matt. 26: 8) but thinking only 
about the church expense as far as they themselves 
are concerned. They hate to give, and under the 
mask of speaking for the poor, they try to escape 
paying toward the Kingdom work themselves. 

If you, a member of a Church board, reading 


80 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


this chapter, are an unwilling, begrudging giver, I 
plead with you that you beseech God to give you 
grace, and a new heart, made willing to give cheer¬ 
fully and abundantly. 

A stingy Church-board member is a millstone on 
the neck of the congregation. He does harm instead 
of doing good. 

Careful and prayerful meditation on the follow¬ 
ing texts should be helpful to Church-board mem¬ 
bers, in leading them to recognize God’s will. 

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they 
be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, 
but in the living God, who giveth us richly all 
things to enjoy. 

“That they do good, that they be rich in good 
works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. 

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foun¬ 
dation against the time to come, that they may 
lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim. 6:17-19. 

“Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt. 6:24. 

“God loveth a cheerful giver.” II Cor. 9:7. 

Good advice to Church board members would be 
that if they are not already, they should become, 
cheerful, liberal givers. 

My reader must not misunderstand me when I 
speak of liberal, willing giving. 

It is not necessary that every Church-board 
member give large sums. Not everybody can do 
that. His income may be small. 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 81 


One thing, however, should be expected of every¬ 
one; namely that he give cherfully and liberally, 
according as ‘‘God has prospered 11™/' Even if his 
income is small, he should give from it a good per¬ 
centage. 

General experience teaches that the man of small 
earnings is much more ready to devote to God’s 
cause a definite percentage of his income than the 
man of larger earnings. 

My final advice to every Church-board member 
is, that he prayerfully consider the question: 

“It is not unfair of me to withhold from God even 
so small a part of all my income as one-tenth?” 

After prayerful consideration, decide henceforth 
to be a happy cheerful tither. 

Afteh you have made the happy decision use 
tactful yet earnest methods to help to lead every 
Church-board member likewise to become a happy 
cheerful tither. 

Only then can we rightly hope for more success¬ 
ful Church work, when the so-called leaders really 
lead. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
ADVICE TO CHURCH COUNCILS 

1. What kind of men should the members of the Church 
council be ? 

2. Why is it absolutely necessary that they be liberal givers ? 

3. Why are many of the Church’s tasks never done? 

6 


82 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


ADVICE TO CHURCH MEMBERS 

Church members should never do destructive, but 
always constructive, work. 

They should attempt through patient teaching 
and good example to lead others to become cheer¬ 
ful givers. The members must even tolerate avari¬ 
cious, covetous, stingy people in their Church. 

But remember, they should be careful not to put 
covetous, avaricious, stingy persons into office. A 
stingy person in the Church of Jesus Christ is like 
a rotten egg in a basket of eggs. He may spoil 
others. 

My advice to the members of every Church is 
this: 

Search out in your congregation men who are 
sincerely Christian, not only in words and often in 
meaningless prayers, but also in deeds—men who 
love to give to God’s causes. Then when the 
time comes, elect such men into your council 
or boards, so that the Church of God may go on 
achieving one spiritual success after another. 

The same advice should apply concerning all 
officers and leaders, and all other organizations of the 
Church, such as Sunday School, Ladies’ Aid, Young 
People’s, Christian Endeavor, Brotherhood, Bible 
Class, Choir, etc. 

It is only just and fair that you likewise, as an 
individual, prayerfully consider tithing and become 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 83 

a cheerful tither yourself if you are not already a 
giver of the tenth. 

The Church of God would be overwhelmed with 
blessings, spiritually and materially, if you and 
every member of the Church would willingly, un- 
begrudgingly consecrate the tithe to God. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
ADVICE TO CHURCH MEMBERS 

1. What is the duty of every Church member in regard to 
electing a Church council? 

2. Why are so many churches not showered with blessings 
from above? 

THE PASTOR'S SALARY. 

The pastor’s salary is a much discussed topic. 
Perhaps the topic has been most discussed by peo¬ 
ple who do not mean well to Church and pastor. 
Had it been discussed more by well-meaning, ear¬ 
nest Christians, the best workers in the church, 
then, perhaps, such a discussion would have 
effected not only better salaries for preachers but 
without a doubt also greater and more effective 
work for the Church of God. By this last statement 
I mean just this: In thousands of cases the pastor’s 
salary has remained shamefully small, not because 
the people meant to be unkind, but simply because 
they were thoughtless and never earnestly inquired 


84 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


into the needs and legitimate desires of their 
pastors. 

But whether it resulted from this, that or 
another reason, generally speaking the pastor’s 
salary has remained shamefully small. 

If it happened in your Church that your pastor’s 
salary remained too small, then you and the good 
members of that congregation should get busy and 
discuss the inadequate salary problem. But do not 
stop with the discussion, as some do. Do the decent 
thing and have your pastor’s salary advanced, not 
merely by a few dollars but by a very substantial 
increase. ‘Tor the laborer is worthy of his hire.” 
Luke 10:7. 

Mr. Paul Bellamy, writing in the Cleveland Plain 
Dealer in January, 1920, on the topic, “Clergy’s 
Pay Falls Behind Lay Standard,” brought forth 
some remarkable statements and data, from which 
I cite. 

“On the whole the Protestant Church has been 
rather more successful than any secular institution 
that occurs to mind in getting $10,000 men to worlc 
for $1000 a year. 

“But it is a task which grows constantly harder, 
and those best qualified declare, one which speedi¬ 
ly will became impossible, without the creation of a 
brand-new understanding of the problem among 
the laity. 

“Minister’s salaries in money have notoriously 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 85 


not kept pace with the 100 to 200 per cent rise in 
price levels for commodities since 1913. 

“In proof of this statement could be adduced a 
dreary procession of figures covering practically all 
Protestant denominations. But consider these fig¬ 
ures of the Methodist Church, just worked out at 
the Interchurch offices in New York. 

“Between 1880 an 1919, according to the govern¬ 
ment census, the per capita wealth of the United 
States, or the average amount of wealth held by 
every man, woman and child in this country, has 
increased from $870 to $2,404, or roughly 200 per 
cent. 

“As contrasted with this, the annual per capita 
contributor of Methodist church-members for mi¬ 
nisterial support has increased in roughly the same 
period of years from $4.25 to $5.30, or approxi¬ 
mately 25 per cent. 

“Two hundred per cent, against 25 per cent, 
Pretty rough on the minister, is it not? 

“The result of this inadequate salary is, that the 
church is daily losing men it cannot afford to lose 
from its ministry, men of ability and of ideals, but 
whose common manhood forbids them longer to 
impose upon their wives and their children such 
paralyzing sacrifice as these salaries mean. 

“Young men of promise are not coming into the 
ministry in such numbers as required to keep the 


86 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


church at its present strength, to say nothing of 
an advance. 

“It is believed that there are thousands of con¬ 
gregations in America which have never raised their 
minister’s salaries because they have not had a 
proper common-sense, business relation with their 
preacher. A leading characteristic of some of the 
most spiritual men among the clergy is that they 
give little thought to their personal affairs until an 
unexpected accident jars them into realization that 
they have been starving their families for years.” 

The writer of “Three Greater Successes” is not 
speaking for himself when referring to inadequate 
salary, for while he is not over-salaried, neverthe¬ 
less he is so salaried and for several years has 
been so salaried, that he is not really in want. 

But he is actually acquainted with worthy minis¬ 
ters most abusively under-salaried. 

May I make my plea therefore for my pastor- 
brothers in the ministry throughout this and other 
lands. 

Many ministers consider it below their dignity 
to ask for an advance in salary. Many would starve 
before asking for an increase. 

But reader, in all reasonableness let me state, 
that if a congregation is too stupid to know what 
its duty is, then a man must either ask or leave 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 87 

the field, unless he is unjust to himself and to his 
family. 

It is either on account of stupidity or ignorance 
or—to be more mild and courteous—on account of 
lack of common business sense, that many congre¬ 
gations let their pastors suffer with a small salary. 

These conditions must cease if the Church of 
Christ is not to suffer. 

An Evangelical pastor of good standing sold 
$15,000 worth of Delco lights and fixtures one year 
in order to enlarge his income sufficiently to sup¬ 
port himself and family. Is it right that a minister's 
efforts should thus be divided? The full time of the 
best minister is only enough for what needs to be 
done in a fair-sized congregation, and yet congrega¬ 
tion after congregation so under-pays the minister 
that he must seek outside sources of income. 

Who suffers? Not only the minister and his 
family, but the congregation also. For the work of 
church cannot be done well if the pastor must per¬ 
form other tasks whereby to maintain himself and 
family. He cannot do the Church's work unless he 
is freed from financial worries. An old saying 
may teach some thoughtless church people a valu¬ 
able lesson. “A hungry horse cannot do its work." 
If a horse cannot, I pray you, tell me, how can a 
man? 

It is a sin for a congregation able to remunerate 


88 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


its pastor well, to let him exist on an inadequate 
income. 

A young pastor who was at the seminary with 
me and now lives in Indiana, served a small con¬ 
gregation for some time. The church was well able 
to pay him a living salary. No move was made by 
the members to advance his salary, although he 
needed it very much. Finally he resigned his pas¬ 
torate. 

“Why do you want to leave? asked a prominent 
man of the church. “Don’t leave us, stay with us!” 
he continued. “If it’s on account of insufficient salary 
say so; we will give you more.” But the young man 
abided by his decision, saying: “I have resigned; 
nothing can keep me now. You might have sug¬ 
gested that in these past years. It was not my place 
to ask for it; I never would. It’s too late now.” 

Many congregations make that unpardonable 
mistake to their own detriment. 

“Ignorance of the law excuses nobody.” Ignorance 
and thoughtlessness do not even excuse a congrega¬ 
tion. It is high time that churches learned a lesson. 

Shortly after I entered the ministry, a well-mean¬ 
ing man of my little church came to me: “Reverend, 
I know you are going to the pastoral conference 
next week. I hear you are to give the sermon. Rev¬ 
erend, please don't feel offended about what I want 
to do, will you? 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 89 

I said I thought I would not. 

“Pastor, will you please take this. ,, He stretched 
out his hand with several green-backs. I hesitating¬ 
ly asked, “What is it for?” The good man said, 
“Reverend, please don't feel offended, take it and 
buy yourself a new suit of clothes, before you go 
to conference. I want the minister of our little 
church to be just as well dressed as the others are.” 

I refused to take the money saying to my well- 
meaning friend: “I'll go to conference with this 
suit. It's good enough; it is the best I have and the 
best I can afford. If it is too shiny, I expect to buy 
one later on, but not with the money donated to me 
by you. If you think I need better clothes, then 
please tell the congregation to raise my salary.” 

But it is not only the thoughtlessness and ignor¬ 
ance of congregations that causes the pastor's salary 
to remain shamefully low. 

Often it is so on account of petty jealousy or of 
downright stinginess on the part of the members. 
That offense is much greater than that of thought¬ 
lessness or ignorance; it is unpardonable. Churches 
guilty of such behavior call upon themselves God's 
wrath and curse instead of His smile and blessing. 

Many a good minister's family goes through life 
dwarfed, children only meagerly educated, minister 
and wife bashful in society because they are humb¬ 
led since they cannot entertain as others can, for 


90 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


lack of funds. They are humbled because they have 
nothing to give to humanitarian causes though 
their heart aches to give and be charitable. Oh, the 
sin that churches are committing! Oh, the sin that 
begrudging, stingy church members are guilty of! 

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left 
hand, Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting 
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. . Then 
shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto 
you, inasmuch as ye did not to one of the least of 
these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away 
into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into 
life eternal. ,, Matt. 25:41 and 45-46. 

Pastor L. H. Streich, now secretary of the Brother¬ 
hood of the Evangelical Synod, once told me the fol¬ 
lowing story. 

“A Jewish Rabbi, after addressing a men's meet¬ 
ing, inspected the church auditorium and, Jew-like, 
asked what salary was paid the pastor. 

“Fifteen hundred dollars," was the reply. 

“What do you do with all that money ?" asked the 
Rabbi, jokingly. 

“What do you get?" asked the pastor. 

“$4000," replied the Rabbi. “ My girl secretary 
gets $75 a month and my cantor gets $2000 a year," 
he added. 

“Who's the cantor?" asked the pastor. 

“Oh, he reads and leads the liturgy; I only preach 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 91 


in the service. You see,” he added in explanation, 
‘'the cantor is not a college educated man, but he 
has a good voice; so he gets only $2000. If I had 
known you get only $1500 I would have told those 
men downstairs a thing or two. You pastors ought 
to get together and demand more if your people 
cannot see it themselves. Why, an ordinary work¬ 
ing man gets more than $1500 a year.” 

Ten years ago a doctor asked me what my salary 
amounted to. I said it was then about $1000. He 
laughed. “How do you live on it? Why, the very 
first year I practiced medicine, being unknown and 
having very little to do, I earned twice as much as 
you earn now, and that was years before you were 
in the ministry.” 

My cheeks were flushed. I turned the conversa¬ 
tion. 

Not long ago I showed a visiting classmate a 
church on Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. The janitor 
took us through every room. It was not the most 
aristocratic church, either. 

As we were leaving, I asked the janitor what 
salary the church was paying him. He answered 
as if making an excuse for the congregation's 
thoughtlessness: “Well, just now they are paying 
me only $2000 a year.” 

I think that the reader agrees with me in the 
statement that innumerable churches are put to 


92 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


shame when they think of that janitor’s salary con¬ 
trasted with the miserable pittance offered their 
pastor as a salary—a man who has spent years in 
preparation for his calling. 

It is nothing less than shameful how many con¬ 
gregations underpay their pastor. 

I am of the opinion that no church has the moral 
right to expect a pastor to serve even a small con¬ 
gregation at a salary less than $2000. 

And how about larger churches ? 

In that same proportion they should pay. If the 
congregation is twice the size of the smaller church, 
two times two thousand ($4000) would not be too 
much. 

If I am imformed correctly the larger congrega¬ 
tions often act the most shamefully. A four to six 
thousand dollars pastor’s salary would not be out of 
reason for congregations numbering from 800 to 
1200 individual members. 

I know this figure startles some of my readers. 
Truth often does. The first question many would 
ask is: “What would a minister do with $6000 a 
year?” A similar question was asked of my father 
who 45 years ago was to receive a salary of about 
$20 the month. He took his meals at the home of 
a farmer of the congregation. Father always paid 
bills promptly. His small allowance was held back. 
When he asked the treasurer for it, that thought- 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 93 


less man asked, “Well, what are you going to do 
with your money? Where do you intend to invest 
it?” Perhaps he did not know that the wealthy 
farmer where father ate his meals was expecting 
$3.50 for each week's meals. 

But come back to the newer question. “What 
would a minister do with $6000 a year?” First an¬ 
swer to yourself this question—“What would any 
honest man outside of the ministry do if he re¬ 
ceived $6000 yearly?” Most assuredly if he were 
decent he would live decently and pay all his bills 
promptly. He would educate his children and pay 
for that. Perhaps he would save some of it for a 
rainy day. If he were honest and decent he would 
also spend some of it for others who really needed 
help. 

The minister with $6000 annually would do simi¬ 
larly. If he were the right kind of a minister I think 
he would start with giving a certain portion—one- 
tenth, or perhaps $1000 to $2000 towards God's 
causes. The rest, no doubt, he would need for him¬ 
self and family. 

I am reminded of a question put to me by a young 
minister some time ago. It was this: “Do you think 
a minister ought to tithe ?” I said, “I certainly think 
he ought to tithe. But I certainly also think that 
your congregation ought to be decent enough to 
pay you a salary which would enable you to give 
toward Church, missions and other good works, 


94 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


just as much as the average liberal giver of your 
church gives.” 

It belongs to ancient history, to consider a minister 
as a cheap skate or a pauper. He has a right and a 
duty to give liberally. That church sins which makes 
him a pauper, and deprives him of one of the great¬ 
est joys of life—that of giving freely and abund¬ 
antly. 

To quote Arthur V. Babbs, in “The Law of The 
Tithe”: 

“In fact, if all the depredations that are now 
being shamelessly committed on the treasuries of 
heaven, if this modem robbery of temples were 
stopped, there would not be a missionary bishop, 
nor a field secretary of any society whatsoever, nor 
a preacher of the Gospel anywhere, who would be 
compelled to beg, often in humilation, for the money 
—their’s by right, or their society's by right; and 
they would be so well supported that they would 
not be falling out of the ranks, as many of them 
do now, broken in body and in brain because of 
needless and harassing anxiety about money. It is 
the cupidity and greed of the church, and annually 
thousands of brilliant men, men who, in other lines 
of business, could have made princely fortunes by 
a few strokes of their pens or a few manipulations 
of money in a legitimate market. The stingy policy, 
which makes it impossible for the average minister 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 95 


to replenish his library to the extent of one hundred 
dollars' worth of new and fresh books every year, 
compels him early in life to become intellectually a 
waning star, and to “pass the dead line at fifty." 
There would be no dead line in the ministry if the 
ministry were supported, as God meant it should 
be, by the only financial system He has ever given 
to His Church. The miserable pittance offered to the 
average minister by a wealthy church insults and 
degrades his manhood." 

“God meant, in giving His tithing system to the 
Church, that religious things should be managed, 
systematically, decently, and in order. Paul means 
just that or he means nothing; and when God gave 
the Church of the Theocracy (Democracy) a tith¬ 
ing law, He provided the best system of Church 
finance that has been devised in the whole history 
of man.”* 

The cause for small salaries was not exclusively 
to be attributed to the laity of the Church, but in 
some measure bishops and church leaders in the 
past had a little share in the guilt. A false modesty 
led even some of those leaders to think that a 
minister's spirituality would wane, if he found him¬ 
self comfortably situated, or partly so, if he were 
not continually in vexation about the payment of 
the most necessary bills. 

•The Law of the Tithe,” by Arthur V. Babbs, p. 40 and p. 44. 
The Fleming H. Revell Co. Used by permission. 



96 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


That thought was welcomed by some of the laity, 
and only strengthened their wicked avarice and 
stinginess. That trend of thought reminds me of the 
ascetics who would walk on pebbles in their shoes, 
or remain for hours daily on a tiny platform elevated 
directly under the scorching desert sun, or starve 
themselves, taking only so much food, that they 
would not directly suffer death. 

All this the ascetics did, believing that God would 
be pleased by such denial and deprivation. 

Willing sacrifice and cheerful abundant giving is 
acceptabe before God. But want and torture gener¬ 
ally undoes and unfits one for useful God-designed 
service. Such things are heathen and barbarian, and 
should not be tolerated among God's people. 

Mr. Harvey Reeves Calkins in his book “ A Man 
and His Money" offers some interesting informa¬ 
tion on inadequate salaries in early days. 

“There was Russell Bigelow, whom Bishop Thom¬ 
son described as 'a perfect gentleman,' who preached 
with such majesty and thought and such beauty of 
diction that his audiences ‘were well-nigh paralyzed 
beneath the avalanche of thought that descended 
upon them.' Of him a chief justice remarked, Tt is 
one of the greatest regrets of my life that I did not 
know him better; we were a wild people when he 
was among us and we never duly appreciated him.' 
And yet Russell Bigelow, the Bishop Simpson of the 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 97 


first Methodists, and absolutely needed by the church 
in those crude frontier days, turned broken-hearted 
from the ministry, which he loved with such passion, 
to provide bread for his wife and children. He died 
in extreme poverty, neglected and alone. 

“There were Caleb Boyer and Ignatius Pigman, of 
whom Bishop Whatcoat said he had not heard their 
equal, except those masters of world-Methodism, 
Wesley and Fletcher. There was Edward Dromgoole, 
whose practical wisdom prevented the disruption of 
the early societies and made possible the organiza¬ 
tion of Episcopal Methodism. There was Ira Ellis, 
of whom Ashbury himself said he had ‘abilities not 
inferior to a Jefferson or a Madison/ There was 
William Phoebus, ‘skillful in administration, deeply 
read in the Scriptures, a bold and independent 
thinker/ And what shall we more say? There was 
James Cromwell, Jonathan Forrest, Lemuel Green, 
John Hagerty, all of them members of the Christmas 
Conference of 1784, which saw the birth of the 
birth of the Methodist Episcopal Church. And yet 
these ordained ministers of God, all of them, and 
scores, and hundreds of others besides, were com¬ 
pelled to withdraw from the active ministry of the 
church whose altars they had builded!”* 


♦From “A Man and His Money,” by Harvey Reeves Calkins. 
Copyright, 1914. Pp. 91-92. Published by The Methodist Book Con¬ 
cern. Used by permission. 



98 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Let me in concluding this chapter make this 
plain statement. If the local church is to become a 
greater success she must do many things. 

One thing of the many, she must remunerate her 
pastor fittingly. 

She must shut her ears to the small talk of people 
who always through their littleness of mind hurt 
the progress of the Christian Church, when they 
cry out, “Well, I don't see why the minister should 
have a salary of so and so much; why, that’s more 
than the average working man earns.” 

I agree with all who say that the minister is no 
better in one sense of the word than the most 
common member of his church. Even the plain 
member has a body and soul. So has the minister. 
Both minister and member of church need to be 
fed, clothed and sheltered. But here is the difference! 

Many a person belonging to the Church has no 
great social obligation ; the minister has. He needs 
to entertain, and that takes money. 

The average Church-member has no real need for 
travel. The minister must spend considerable in 
travel, visiting conventions, institutes, etc. It is 
almost imperative in his kind of work. 

The average Church-member needs much less 
money for clothing than does the pastor. Of the 
pastor it is expected that he shall always be neat 
and well dressed. 


ADVICE TO MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS 99 


The daily paper and perhaps one or two favorite 
magazines constitute the reading expense for the 
average member of the Church. The minister in 
order to keep “brushed up” must subscribe to many 
magazines and periodicals, and in addition should 
buy many books in the course of each year. 

Did you ever think in a businesslike way about 
the superannuated minister? 

The average orderly business or professional man, 
hopes when he must retire, to live on what he saves 
from the time he started in business till his re¬ 
tiring time comes. 

How about the minister? So far experience has 
taught that there have been only very, very, few 
pastors who had a salary enabling them to save 
enough to live on when they would retire. 

If it is fair for any ordinary professional or busi¬ 
ness man to expect to save enough through secular 
business earnings, to live on, when he retires, then 
I ask my reader to settle this question in his mind: 

“Is it less fair for a servant of the Church to 
hope to earn enough through his work to support 
himself and family and also to save enough to live 
on in his old age?” 

No honest person, using good judgment, can 
answer this question with “No.” 

Why, then, treat the pastor as if he had no right 


100 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


to live decently and comfortably now, and as if it 
would be a sin were he to save for old age. 

If your church is to be a greater success she 
should teach and practice larger giving, steward¬ 
ship and tithing. 

If even only forty per cent of your Church mem¬ 
bers would tithe, all your financial problems would 
soon be solved. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

PASTOR’S SALARY 

1. Why should the pastor have an adequate salary? 

2. What stands in the way of that in most cases ? 

3. What are some other reasons why pastors must labor for 
pitifully small salaries? 

4. How would you go about to bring in better conditions ? 

5. Have you done all that needs to be done in your own 
church ? 

6. What way would you suggest as the best means of rais¬ 
ing the pastor’s salary to a higher and more nearly decent 
level ? 


CHAPTER VII 


TITHING CHURCHES WHICH HAVE 
SUCCEEDED 

In a previous chapter many examples of indivi¬ 
dual tithers were given. In this chapter let me relate 
the experiences of several tithing congregations 
which have succeeded. 

Let it be said at the outset, that only a small 
number of churches will be mentioned, although I 
could mention many, many more that would be as 
helpful and as convincing. To my mind the examples 
here mentioned are of such a nature that any church- 
member reading them should be moved, at least to 
the desire of having his congregation also start a 
tithing campaign. 

Chiefly with that hope in view the second part 
of “Three Greater Successes” has been written. 

The R®v. Joseph Cooper of Brockton, Mass., wrote 
the following interesting statement in February, 
1921. 

“My membership is 850. The number of tithers 
who signed cards is 95. Tithing personally gives me 
great joy. 

“Our income for both current expenses and bene¬ 
volences is the largest in the history of the church. 

101 


102 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


I never knew it so easy to get money for every 
legitimate demand. 

‘‘The tit hers are back of every good movement. 

“I have one official who gives far more than the 
tenth. I should say it is more than three-tenths of 
his income. 

“I look upon the tithing of the income as the 
secret of our success. This has been the happiest 
year of my ministry, and never did we have more 
harmony or co-operation in the church. 

“Tithing has solved the financial problems of the 
church and by doing so has helped very much in 
solving many other different things in a large 
church. 

“I have another official who with his wife has 
tithed ever since their wedding day. In spite of 
everything the Lord's portion has never been de¬ 
faulted. 

“Our tithers constitute the very backbone of the 
spiritual as well as the financial support of the 
church." 


CHURCHES IN SOUTH AMERICA. 

Pastor Ernest N. Bauman is pastor of a Methodist 
church in Junin, Argentina, South America, a city 
with a population of 30,000. Besides being pastor 
of that church he has a circuit of four towns. In 
1921 he made the following statement: 


TITHING CHURCHES 


103 


“Just lately we have, under the auspices of the 
Methodist Centenary Movement, begun a tithing 
and stewardship campaign, and this has given ex¬ 
cellent results; in many churches over one-fourth, 
in others even one-half have become tithers; there 
are also churches here which have done even very 
much better than that. Some have more tithers 
than members, and some have from 80 to 90 per 
cent as many tithers as members. 

“Tithing is bound to revolutionize the whole 
future of our Mission in this country, for hereto¬ 
fore we were so very dependent on the home- 
church; but I am sure that from henceforth there 
will be a tremendous change in this respect. 

“In short, this church, as many others, has been 
revolutionized by the tithing campaign and we hope 
never to go back to former times.” 

THE ENGLEWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT 
STEWART AVENUE AND SIXTY-SIXTH 
PLACE, CHICAGO. 

Mr. Glenn Long, of the above-mentioned church, 
reported to me that in the year ending September 
30, 1921, his church, including the Bible School, had 
a budget that totaled approximately $21,000. Of 
this sum about one-half was absorbed by the ex¬ 
penses of the local church and Bible School. The 
other half went to other uses. 


104 THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 

According to Mr. Long's statement shortly before 
this report, the congregation numbered from 600 
to 700. This number included many children. 

Though the officers of the congregation could 
not definitely state the number of tithers, Mr. Long 
said it would be safe to say that there were between 
80 and 100 who happily and conscientiously tithe all 
they receive. 

Dr. C. G. Kindred, the pastor, has taught tithing 
to his people. Mr. Thomas Kane in an article on 
Tithing said the following about the congregation: 
“There are in Chicago 29 churches and missions of 
that denomination. During the 14 years from 1903 
to 1917 the Englewood Church, not the largest or 
the strongest, gave to City Missionary work more 
than 60 per cent of the total contributions of all 
those twenty-nine churches.”* 

THE METHODIST CHURCH OF EAST BRIDGE- 
WATER, MASS. 

At the time when Pastor C. A. McPheeters served 
the congregation of 73 members about 75 per cent 
of them had become tithers. 

A successor to Mr. McPheeters wrote him as fol¬ 
lows : “The same spirit of giving is prevalent; about 
$1100 has been raised this year outside of the regu¬ 
lar local expense budget." 


•From “A Tithing Autobiography,” by “Layman.” 



TITHING CHURCHES 


105 


An older member of the church reported: “There 
never was such a spirit of optimism in our church.” 

The former pastor, Mr. McPheeters, concluded his 
remarks thus: “This is the experience of a church 
that struggled along for years, paying a low sal¬ 
ary, laboring under the handicap of a debt and run¬ 
ning behind each year. Today all debts are off. 
The church is in good repair, a living salary is being 
paid and the church, centrally located in a small 
New England village of four thousand people, is 
looked upon as one of the most wide-awake and 
thrifty churches of that section.” 

Fifty t'ithers in any church will surely make a 
church become more successful and better known. 

WALNUT STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, 
LOUISVILLE, KY. 

The Rev. Finley F. Gibson, pastor of the Church, 
wrote to me not long ago this valuable truth: “My 
tithers are the most spiritual members of my 
Church.” 

It is the church to which Mr. Hays belongs, about 
whom you have read in a foregoing chapter—a con¬ 
gregation of about 1300 members, including many 
children. 

The Church has been apportioned to pay $150,- 
000 toward the Baptist $75,000,000 fund for mis- 


106 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


sions and educational programs, over a period of five 
years. 

Mr. Finley's church has over-subscribed, making 
its subscription $161,000. 

The Epworth Herald of January 29, 1921, in 
“Tithers Corner,"* printed the following extract 
from the Rev. Finley Gibson's letter to Dr. White, 
secretary of B. Y. P. U. 

“If our pastors were wise, they would hammer 
on the tithe. We have three hundred tithers in our 
church. Finances never give us any trouble. We 
have raised the past year for missions and current 
expenses without any effort whatever over $50,000. 
Tithing has done this. 

“You will be glad to know that our Sunday School 
is now running over six hundred every Sunday and 
that the Church is packed morning and night- 
Prayer meeting is over 250." 

THE GENEVA CHURCH 

Much has been said and written about the Geneva 
Church. 

Several years ago the writer expressly made a trip 
to Geneva, New York, so that he might convince him¬ 
self about the actual conditions of that much spoken 
of organization, the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
that city. 

•“Tithers’ Corner” in Epworth Herald is conducted by “Lay¬ 
man.” 



TITHING CHURCHES 


107 


What I had heard before and what has been 
written was corroborated by my own observation. 

Mr. Wilson C. Moyer, the president of the Tither’s 
Association of that congregation, gave me my in¬ 
formation. 

The congregation had built a beautiful church. 
Various unforseen conditions terminated so unfor¬ 
tunately that after completion of the structure the 
congregation had a debt of $80,000 to $82,000. 

At that time there were only 700 to 800 contribut¬ 
ing members in the congregation. This number even 
included many children as young as 10 to 12 years. 

The congregation certainly was in straights. 

The Rev. Ralph Cushman, who took charge of the 
Church after it had been built, studied over the sit¬ 
uation and declared to his church board that the 
situation would require heroic action. 

The pastor had courage. After picturing the con¬ 
dition of affairs as they were, he asked the church 
council of 25 members whether they would, to save 
the church, give God for the Church one-tenth of 
their income. Twenty-one of the twenty-five pledged 
themselves immediately. Then a tither’s associa¬ 
tion was started. These men with the pastor at the 
head planned to go before the people of the church 
to ask them to do likewise. 

On the first Sunday when these courageous, will¬ 
ing Christians made their plea to the congregation, 


108 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


one hundred and twenty stepped before the altar 
vowing to give to their Church and causes outside of 
their Church, one-tenth of all they received. 

The interest among the people grew; the titters’ 
association grew steadily for weeks and months. 

Besides paying off installments on the debt, thou¬ 
sands and thousands of dollars were needed yearly 
for current expenses and benevolences. 

The people began to smile instead of frown. 

Many were obliged to draw on their savings-ac- 
counts in order to meet their pledges. But no work 
was too great or too hard for willing people. 

In 1917 the congregation had already enrolled 300 
titters- 

The big debt was being diminished more and more. 
Money for the big church expenses and missionary 
benevolence was being brought forth at the same 
time. 

In September, 1920, Mr. Moyer wrote me that the 
debt would soon be down to $41,000 or less. He 
added: 

“We find that the thirty per cent of membership 
(titters) pay about two-thirds of all bills.” 

“Our next year (1921) is our centennial year in 
Geneva. I think we will make still another ‘drive’ 
financially for more reductions.” 

“An analysis of the giving of tithers and non- 



MR. WILSON O. MOYER 
President of The Geneva Tithers’ Band 


i 





















TITHING CHURCHES 


109 


tithers during the first six months after Tithers' 
Band was organized is as follows: 

‘The total average Sunday offering for the follow¬ 
ing January for current expenses and benevolences 
was $212, of which the tithers contributed $153; in 
February the average was $218, of which the tithers 
contributed $167; in March $215 per Sunday, tithers' 
share $157; in April $195 per Sunday, tithers' share 
$156; in May $207 per Sunday, tithers' share $176; 
in June $236 per Sunday, tithers' share $190. Bear 
in mind that for five of these six months there were 
only 160 tithers contributing. Moreover, the aver¬ 
age Sunday ‘loose change' plate collection during 
these months was about $18."* 

The Geneva Church was in great trouble. She 
came to God in her distress and God has truly helped. 
I have met about twelve or fifteen of the tithers in 
that church. With one accord they agreed that God 
has led them to recognize His will and His plan. 

God’s way is the way. 

The Geneva Church has pointed out the way of 
greater joy spiritually, and of financial success, to 
many, many congregations since that Tithers' Band 
was formed. Can there be any other advice regard¬ 
ing Church financing better than this? “Go and 
do likewise." 

It is a long time since the writer visited Geneva. 


“From Cushman’s pamphlet “The Story of the Geneva Church." 



110 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


But his firm belief is that that congregation will soon 
have no debt. 

SCHIFFLEIN CHRISTI CHURCH 

In the writer's church at Cleveland, Ohio, there 
were four tithers during 1921—Mr. A. Ehrenberg, 
Mr. Wm. Splete, Mr. H. Wick, and another man. 

During that year the four tithers contributed for 
current expenses $429.05, and for benevolences 
$114.55; average sum for each tither for current 
expenses, $107.26; average sum for each tither for 
benevolences, $28.63. 

The average sum paid for current expenses by 
each of the balance of the church members for that 
year was $10.96 and for benevolences $2.24. 

It may be interesting for my readers to know that 
not one of the four tithers owns a home. 

Three of the four are married. Not one of them 
receives a large salary. 

Did you ever stop to think what it would mean if 
one-fourth of your Church members would tithe ? 

THE GOSPEL CHURCH, CEDAR AVENUE AND EAST 
SEVENTY-FOURTH STREET, CLEVELAND, 0. 

The Gospel Church of Cleveland, Ohio, of which 
Herbert Mackenzie is the pastor, certainly deserves 
to be called a very successful Church. It is success- 


TITHING CHURCHES 


111 


ful both in doing God's work and in receiving God's 
blessings. 

In 1920 the Rev. Mr. Mackenzie told me its mem¬ 
bership was 290 to 300 persons. One of the mem¬ 
bers is John Hamill, spoken of in the chapter “Tithers 
I know.” 

The Gospel Church has been a church with a mis¬ 
sionary spirit. It believes in doing for others. That 
little congregation is completely supporting seven 
missionaries besides a goodly number of native 
workers. It is helping not a few but many worthy 
persons and institutions in our own land and in 
other lands. 

Mr. Mackenzie told me that they do not any longer 
stress tithing, since it is self-evident that a tenth 
is only a small portion to give to the Lord. He said, 
however, that about half of the members are known 
to be tithers. 

“From and including Missionary Day, Sunday, 
October 31, 1920, to September 30, 1921, a period of 
eleven months, the sum of $10,151.62 has been con¬ 
tributed to the work of missions and divided and dis¬ 
tributed by the Gospel Church Missionary Treasurer 
for the support of the missionaries of the church, 
native workers, and needy persons and institutions. 

Is it not true, my reader, that this congregation 
makes many of us blush when we think of the reluct¬ 
ance with which many congregations give toward 


112 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


missions and benevolences only a few hundred dol¬ 
lars? That retarding, unwilling way is brought on 
by man; the way of the Gospel Church of doing 
things is brought on by God. 

“But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his 
righteousness; and all these things shall be added 
unto you.” Math. 6:33. 

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that 
there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now 
herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open 
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a 
blessing, that there shall not be room enough to 
receive it.” Mai. 3:10- 

The missionary spirit is the pulse of the church. 
Many churches have no pulse. When the pulse 
stops, we say a person is dead. When the mission¬ 
ary pulse of a church grows slow, beware! The indi¬ 
cation of that symptom is the approach of death. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 
TITHING CHURCHES WHICH HAVE SUCCEEDED 

1. Review the stories of tithing churches which have suc¬ 
ceeded. 

2. What is the outstanding feature of every church men¬ 
tioned ? 

3. Why should tithing cause the spiritual life to develop? 

4. What have you done to introduce tithing in your own 
church ? 


TITHING CHURCHES 


113 


NOW TO PROMOTE TITHING IN YOUR CHURCH 

To promote tithing in any church, the first re¬ 
quirement is that at least one person of the congre¬ 
gation be profoundly interested in tithing. It would 
be well if that person were the pastor himself, the 
president of the Church, the superintendent of the 
Sunday School, or some other person who is in a lead¬ 
ing position in the congregation. 

That person should pray earnestly about the mat¬ 
ter, interceding before God that He will make one of 
the cheerful givers of the Church willing also to 
become a tither. 

After a season of earnest prayer it would be wise 
for the tither to approach the one person—man or 
woman—whom he has centered out to be inter¬ 
viewed. 

The original tither would perhaps make a great 
mistake, directly to ask the selected person whether 
he be willing to give God one-tenth of all his income. 
In most cases that would be tactless and would result 
in failure. 

But what should be done? 

The original tither—let me call him Mr. Alexander 
—should present to the person in consideration— 
call him Mr. Goode—a tract like Layman's “How to 
Tithe and Why," asking him carefully to read the 
matter over several times. 

8 


114 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Perhaps a week later Mr. Alexander should give 
Mr. Goode another tract, such as “Thanksgiving 
Ann,” also Layman's. 

After this has likewise been carefully read, Mr. 
Alexander should put the question to Mr. Goode: 
“Don’t you think you would like to tithe?” In all 
probability Mr. Goode, having already been a liberal 
giver, will be ready gladly to answer “yes.” 

Allow me to tell my experience with a tither in 
my Church. 

Several years ago I gave to Mr. Ehrenberg, a 
young man who was then contributing only fifteen 
cents weekly toward church and benevolences, Ralph 
Cushman’s little book on Stewardship and Tithing. 

As I handed it to him I said: “My friend, next 
Sunday, a week from today, I expect to ask you an 
important question, providing you have read this 
book. Please read the book carefully. Will you 
do it?” 

He agreed. The next Sunday morning he came to 
my door to return the book. He had a smile on his 
face. I asked him, “Mr. Ehrenberg, would you be 
willing to give to God and His causes one-tenth of all 
your income?” His answer could hardly come fast 
enough for him. “I certainly will. Reverend, that 
is one of the finest little books I ever read. It’s 
fine.” 


TITHING CHURCHES 


115 


Since that time that man and his wife have paid 
$4 weekly toward current expenses of church and 
missions. 

The people are ready, but we have not been alert 
to give them the right literature and to ask them 
the decisive question. 

When Mr. Alexander has secured one tither, a 
commendable start has been made. 

The two tithers should next order as many copies 
of “How to Tithe and Why”* as there are individual 
members in the church. Upon arrival of the tracts, 
a copy should be sent by mail to each member of 
the Church. No writing need accompany the little 
pamphlet. It will speak for itself. 

Two weeks later a similar pamphlet should be sent 
to each member of the Church. 

After this pleasant venture the two tithers must 
interview several other liberal men and women of 
the church, not hastily but tactfully, and finally ask 
them to join in the venture. Within a short time 
there will be a small band of tithers. 

From then on each tither must talk tithing to 
other members of the congregation, the Sunday 
School, and other organizations, relative to the joy 
tithing brings to the tithers. 

On several Sundays sermons on giving should be 


•Order from Layman Company, 35 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill. 



116 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


preached. Those sermons should be followed by a 
sermon on tithing. 

A reading contest can be started. Let the two 
original tithers choose sides, taking first the few 
other tithers they have gained. Then let them 
choose alternately according to the Church member¬ 
ship list, until all the members have been chosen. 

Purchase more of “Layman’s” tracts; have them 
sent to all on church list. 

Make announcement that credit will be given each 
one for each pamphlet read. Tell members who the 
leaders are. Have all members report to their leader 
on what has been read. 

Let them report weekly for five to six weeks. Add 
the credits each side has earned and announce them 
each Sunday or have the results posted on a bulletin- 
board in the vestibule. You are bound to create an 
interest. 

The Rev. Albert Morris, of Bangor, Maine, wrote 
me: “We are in the midst of a stewardship reading 
contest. We have eleven teams, or groups, with a 
captain for each, and from 125 to 150 persons actu¬ 
ally reading the stewardship literature provided for 
them. A stated number of credits is given for the 
reading of each piece of literature. It is an exceed¬ 
ingly interesting thing to see the crowd around the 
‘score-board’ on Sunday, each anxious to learn which 
team is leading in credits earned. This contest is 


TITHING CHURCHES 


117 


for educational purposes, and of course we expect to 
enroll some additional tithers. The president of our 
auxiliary of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society 
is acting as director of the contest. The pastor pro¬ 
vides the literature.” 

As this pastor stated, the contest is for educa¬ 
tional purposes. Right here let me say that I believe 
we would have at least a fair number of tithers in 
every congregation if the people were given the 
chance to read on the subject. 

Let me assume that after the tithers’ band has 
been organized, its members are willing to spend a 
little money. 

An incentive for studying about stewardship and 
tithing would be the distribution of a number of 
books on the subject, for example, Ralph Cushman’s 
“The New Christian, Studies in Stewardship,” Ar¬ 
thur V. Babbs’ “The Law of the Tithe,” W. M. Week- 
ley’s “Getting and Giving,” J. S. Huebschman’s 
“Three Greater Successes,” or a similar book that 
emphasizes the tithing principle. 

A great interest can be aroused in the following 
manner. 

Let the Tithers’ Band purchase books on Tithing— 
say one for every tenth member in the Church. Dis¬ 
tribution can be made interesting thus. 

Have a drawing. Write the name of each church 
member on a separate slip of paper. From these 


118 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


the tenth, twentieth, thirtieth, fortieth and fiftieth 
name drawn, and so on, receives a book, until one 
member out of each set of ten in the entire church 
list has been supplied. 

Make the announcement on the following Sunday 
or at some social, that in a free chance the names 
of the following persons were drawn and the lucky 
persons are to receive free of charge a copy of a 
book on Stewardship and Tithing. 

Explain why this was done; namely, to create a 
desire for reading on the helpful subject of Steward¬ 
ship and Tithing. 

Ask the recipients to read the book through care¬ 
fully and then to lend it, urging others to read it also # 

It is quite probable that in only a short time many 
will have become curious and willing to read on the 
subject. That is what is to be achieved through the 
suggested plan. 

Another help in this educational campaign would 
be a writing contest. Let the Tithers’ Band offer 
an attractive prize, say $20 or $25, to be given to 
that member who will write the best essay of not 
less than 500 words and not more than 2000 on, we 
will say, the interesting topic, “Good Results of 
Tithing.” 

Make the prize attractive enough to lead all mem¬ 
bers at least to talk about it. 

Set a definite time when all essays must be in. 


TITHING CHURCHES 


119 


Give the essays to an impartial committee, consist¬ 
ing of people who do not know the writers. 

After the essays have been ranked, withhold the 
report of results, but announce that on the following 
Sunday the results of the contest will be made 
known. On that Sunday be supplied with enough 
copies of another tract on Tithing to supply all the 
congregation. Take Dan Brummitt’s “Is the Tithe a 
Debt?”* this time. Hand a copy to everybody as 
he leaves the Church. 

On the following Sunday, make announcement that 
any person who wishes to become a tither can meet 
the secretary of the Tithers’ Band after the service. 

This educational campaign will bring results. Give 
it an honest trial. There will be happy people only 
too ready to start tithing. 

The truth of it is they will express their surprise 
that their congregation has slept so long and has not 
tried tithing long before. 

The next thing to do is to organize a “Stewardship 
and Tithing” study-class with a text-book that 
teaches Stewardship and gives Tithing a prominent 
place* 

Extend the invitation to the entire Church mem¬ 
bership, the Sunday School pupils, the Brotherhood 
members, the Young People—in fact, to all who in 
any way have a part in any department of the con- 


*Can be secured from Layman Company. 



120 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


gregation. By all means start a class even if there 
will be only two or three at first. 

Have the tithers concentrate on one person at a 
time. Have some one call on that person. Talk 
about the matter. Ask him to become a tither if 
he will do so cheerfully. Never try to force anyone! 

FINAL ADVICE: Keep at it and make the slogan 
for your Church, “Every member a tither!” 

Perhaps that will never happen. Don’t mind that. 
Keep at it. Remember that years ago some con¬ 
gregations would not tolerate an organ in the 
Church. Remember that it took years for only a fair 
percentage of congregations to adopt the weekly en¬ 
velope system. 

It may take decades to induce a great percentage 
of congregations to adopt the Tithing system as the 
financial system of their people. But it should 
come¬ 
lt was God’s way. We have robbed God long 
enough. It is high time for Church people to stop 
this stealing. It is time to tithe. For “The Tithe 
is the Lord’s.” 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

HOW TO PROMOTE TITHING IN YOUR CHURCH 

1. What is the first step, if you would promote tithing in 
your church? 

2. Go into detail as to how you would follow up the work. 

3. Why is an educational campaign necessary? 


PART III 


CHAPTER VIII 

WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE 
DOING 

In spite of the just criticism that the Church of 
God has done only a very little compared to what she 
should have done, it is nevertheless undeniable that 
much has been accomplished. Yet we must remem¬ 
ber that only a small fraction of the Church’s pro¬ 
gram has been carried out. 

Truly gigantic tasks have been performed through 
that greatest and noblest institution on earth—the 
Church of God. 

One of the denominations from which all Chris¬ 
tian people may learn much, is the Methodist Episco¬ 
pal Denomination. 

The Centenary program is gigantic. God is in it. 

One of the great features in the Centenary pro¬ 
gram is the stewardship propaganda in which is in¬ 
cluded the attempt to enroll 1,000,000 tithers. 

In order that some of the objectives and achieve¬ 
ments of the Methodist Episcopal Denomination may 
be vividly brought to the reader’s attention, I quote 
121 


122 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


the following passages from the pamphlet “What 
Centenary Money Is Doing.”* 

THE CENTENARY AND THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH 

“The Centenary Movement has been an awaken¬ 
ing of the Methodist Episcopal Church unique in its 
history. It has been more than a campaign for 
money, although in that aspect it has set a memor¬ 
able mark. Dr. Charles E. Jeff erson has said regard¬ 
ing the financial aspect of the Centenary, that it 
was The most stupendous achievement of any branch 
of the Christian Church in modern history/ 

“The Centenary was first of all and chiefly a vision. 
At the time of the most appalling world need in the 
latter period of the war, it laid upon the heart of 
the Church a great constructive program for the 
salvation of the world. 

“At a time when the Church of Christ was per¬ 
plexed and baffled by the enormity of the problems 
increased by the war, the Centenary brought to the 
Methodist Episcopal Church the conviction that it 
need not be helpless in the face of the staggering 
need of the time. 

“The Centenary demonstrated that the Church 
had the power to step out in the second century of 
its missionary endeavor with a program of world- 

* 4 ‘What Centenary Money Is Doing" is an exceedingly interest¬ 
ing pamphlet printed by the Methodist Book Concern. 



WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 123 


wide evangelization more adequate to the need than 
any of which it had dreamed. 

“The vision represented in the program at home 
and in the foreign field was a great call to spiritual 
adventure. The Church responded in magnificent 
fashion. The Centenary meant a new baptism for 
the Church into the mind of Christ. It brought a 
new conviction of the adequacy of His gospel for 
the world and a fresh and larger sharing of His 
yearning for the world's redemption. 

“Just as the Pentecostal blessing was given to the 
early Church only when it faced the Pentecostal task 
of evangelization, so the Centenary Movement sum¬ 
moned and girded the Church for world service and 
brought a real spiritual blessing. 

“The year after the Centenary Campaign wit¬ 
nessed the largest number of accessions to the Meth¬ 
odist Episcopal Church in its history, over 180,000 
new members. 

“The great movements of Stewardship and Inter¬ 
cession have strengthened the religious life of many 
thousands of people. 

“Over 200,000 members have so caught the vision 
of Christian stewardship that they have signed up 
as tithing stewards. 

“Many thousands of young people had listened in 
such earnest sincerity to the call for workers that 
they have offered themselves for Christian life ser¬ 
vice. 


124 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


“Hundreds of churches have been stimulated to 
larger efforts under the incentive of the Centenary. 
The Centenary program of the Board of Home Mis¬ 
sions has been the means of raising for enterprises 
which it aided many times the sum which it con¬ 
tributed itself. 

“There can be no question but that the horizon 
of the Church has been permanently broadened and 
its zeal permanently quickened. 

“During 1920, on the foreign mission fields, the 
Centenary Campaign has been carried forward along 
the lines followed in the United States, bringing a 
development of initiative and a strengthening of 
spiritual impulse in every field. 

“In Japan the financial goal has been fixed at 
600,000 yen ($300,000). The motto of the cam¬ 
paign is ‘Each day one contribution and one Bible 
passage read, and each person win one soul/ 

“In India the ‘lakh of rupees' is the native expres¬ 
sion for a fabulous sum of money—100,000 rupees of 
silver. The Centenary Movement in India, the land 
of low wages and extreme poverty, has set as its 
goal fifty lakhs of rupees. This amounts to two 
and a quarter million dollars, more than eight times 
the quota assigned for India to raise. 

“Six Methodist young men have volunteered as 
foreign missionaries to go out from the Church in 
India. Hundreds of tithers are being enrolled. 

“In China, the native church has worked out one 


WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 125 


of the most advanced pieces of program-building 
ever wrought in a mission field. 

“South America and Mexico are making great 
strides in the same type of program. Bishops and 
others on the fields have declared that the perma¬ 
nent benefits cannot be measured. 

“With such things before our eyes we may well 
exclaim, ‘What Hath God Wrought’!” 

“SUMMARY OF CENTENARY DISBURSEMENTS 

“The total amount collected by the teasurer of the 
Committee on Conservation and Advance for the 
year ending October 31, 1920, was $15,489,762.02. 

“Of this amount there was paid to the Board of 
Home Missions and Church Extension $6,612,223.04, 
and to the Board of Foreign Missions $6,612,223-05. 

“In addition to these payments there were granted 
the amounts indicated below to the General Boards 
of the Church and to the American Bible Society, 
which is their guaranteed income as provided for by 
a pre-Centenary arrangement with these Boards. 
In addition there are also several local interests for 
which special arrangement was made with the Joint 
Centenary Committee and toward which the amount 
indicated was paid. 

SUMMARY 

Board of Home Missions and Church Extension.$6,612,223.04 


Board of Foreign Missions. 6,612,223.05 

American Bible Society . 150,000.00 




126 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


General Deaconess Board. 45,000.00 

Board of Education . 750,000.00 

Board of Sunday Schools . 300,000.00 

Board of Temperance, Prohibition and Public 

Morals . 150,000.00 

Freedmen’s Aid Society... 350,340.34 

Board of Education (Additional). 100,000.00 

Freedmen’s Aid Society (Additional). 237,283.28 

Local Interests . 182,692.31 


Total Disbursements .115,489,762.02 


Is it surprising that the Methodist Episcopal De¬ 
nomination is carrying on a gigantic porgram, when 
we note that that denomination is educating her peo¬ 
ple to raise from her ranks an army of one million 
tithers ? It is not surprising at all; it is natural and 
to be expected. Read Mai. 3:10 again. 

To my inquiry of Mr. Leon Wood, of the Division 
of Stewardship of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
regarding the number of members of that Denomina¬ 
tion and the present number of tithers, he made the 
following answer (Sept. 6, 1922): 

“Our latest records show that the Methodist 
Episcopal Church has in the United States 3,935,522 
full and preparatory members, Jan. 1, 1922. 

“It is impossible for us to tell exactly how many 
have enrolled in the Methodist Million as tithing 
stewards. From inquiries in Churches here and 
there we consider that there are at least one-half of 
the million already practicing tithing stewardship.” 












WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 127 

In February, 1922, the writer of “Three Greater 
Successes” sent out a questionnaire to the Key Men 
of the Stewardship Department of practically every 
denomination in the United States and Canada. 

The questionnaire contained the three following 
questions: 

(a) What is the official name of your denomina¬ 
tion or communion? 

(b) How many members are there in your de¬ 
nomination ? 

(c) How many of them are tithers? 

Many persons answered. 

Many reports cannot be referred to here, since 
there were no records of the number of tithers in 
the particular denomination available. 

Many, however, are very interesting and helpful, 
as you will agree. I submit them herewith. 


Name of Denomination or Number of 
Communion Member* 

Number of 

Tithers Remarks by Reporter 

The American Christian 104,000 

Convention 

5,000 

I suppose a conservative estimate 
would be 5,000, possibly nearly 
twice that, but I am not assured. 

The Baptist Denomination 
(affiliated with the Northern 1,250,000 
Baptist Convention) 

About 

26,000 

(Figures not recent. Estimate 

probably too low at present.) 

Northern Baptist Convention 1,375,000 

15,705 

Up to January 31st. In the next 
three weeks extra efforts are to be 
made to secure additional tithers. 

Southern Baptists 

3,200,000 

About 

500,000 


Cumberland Presbyterians 50,000 

5,000 


Disciples of Christ 1,277,281 

25,000 

About 25,000 (estimated) 











128 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Name of Denomination or Number of 
Communion Members 

Number of 

Tithers Remarks by Reporter 

The Evangelical Synod of 228,713 

North America formerly 
called German Evangelical 

Synod of North America 

352 As there were no records of tithers 
kept in denomination, the writer of 
this book sent out two consecutive 
questionnaires to every pastor of 
the denomination. The number of 
tithers here reported is the total 
number reported through my ques¬ 
tionnaires. Only about half of the 
pastors reported. The number given 
is therefore very conservative. 

The Evangelical 164,820 

Association 

6,509 6,509 registrations in United States 
last year (1921) ; no definite infor¬ 
mation yet as to number of tithers 
in the church. 

The Methodist 

Episcopal Church 4,392.520 

About 

500,000 The Methodist Year Book for 1921 
(statistics of Dec. 31, 1920) states 
that the Methodist Episcopal church 
has in the United States 3,872,621 
members; on foreign fields 519,899; 
a total of 4,392,520. It is almost 
two years since we were insisting on 
Tithing Stewards being enrolled 
at Headquarters. We had close to 
a quarter of a million enrolled at 
that time. We feel sure that we 
have one-half of a million or more 
enrolled in local churches at pres¬ 
ent. 

The Methodist Church 400,789 

of Canada 

18,000 Over 18,000 were reported as en¬ 
rolling after our Forward Movement 
Campaign two years ago. 

Methodist Episcopal 

Church, South 2,213,000 

At least 

100,000 

Presbyterian Church 397,058 

in the South 

13,020 In April, 1921. A special effort to 
secure additional tithers in oar 
church was made in December, and 
while we have not yet received final 
reports on same, we are confident 
at least a thousand additional 
tithers were secured. 












WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 129 


Name of Denomination or Number of Number of 

Communion Members Titbers Remarks by Reporter 


Presbyterian Church 
in U. S. A. (North) 

84,407 

Protestant Episcopal 

Not 

1,104,029 Known Campaign is now on to enlist 

100,000 tithers. 

Reformed Church in 
the United States 

331,369 2,633 We have the signed enrollment 

cards here in the central office of 
457 ministers and 2,226 members. 
The total of our denomination is 
very much larger, for very few of 
the pastors send us the names of 
tithers or report the numbers to us. 
We know of several churches which 
have hundreds of tithers whose 
names and cards have not been sent 
to our office, so that the figures for 
the numbers which we can give you 
are scarcely an indication of the 
proportionate givers of our denomi¬ 
nation. 

The United Presbyterian 
Church of North America 

About 

161,000 27,000 

The United Brethren 

in Christ 

364,229 17,932 Tithers reported from conferences 

in United States last year, 17,932. 

and 

membership 
in U. S. only 

355,896 


Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 

1. Make a thorough study of the various denominations and 
see whether the percentage of tithers they have has any 
influence on their spiritual life and development. 

9 










130 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


POWER TO BE RELEASED 

We are living in the age of inventions and modern 
conveniences. 

We are working more intensively in all professions 
and occupations than in years gone by. 

The output amount of production of fifty years 
ago can’t be compared to the production in manufac¬ 
turing plants in the last decade. The same is true 
in practically all professions and vocations. Every¬ 
thing is going on at a higher speed and faster rate. 

While the elements of electricity always existed in 
the universe, only in recent times has electricity be¬ 
come our servant, and only in the last years we have 
learned to use this stored-up, God-given power in the 
universe, for the common comforts of millions upon 
millions of people. 

We have learned to use it. We have tapped it, we 
have piped it and have led it to where it should serve 
us and others. It illuminates, it propels, it warns, it 
heals, and yet we have only said ‘‘a” in the electrical 
world. 

The money force in the Christian world might be 
compared to the electrical force in the universe- It’s 
there, but it has not yet been released to such an 
extent that God’s work is carried on as extensively 
as it should be done. 

Again, the wealth and money of many persons is 
like the water of many lakes and rivers decades ago. 


WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 131 


People’s money is a power not yet released. In nearly 
every half-way modern city home, the convenience 
of piped lake or river water is to be enjoyed. We 
turn the faucet and the water runs. But long before 
the water was led into the house, men planned and 
studied how it might be brought there. Finally 
someone got the idea to lead it along through pipes. 

There was just as much water in the universe, in 
lakes and rivers, at an earlier period of history. The 
difference is that people have learned to release a 
great power for the good of humanity. 

With wealth and money the same argument holds 
good. There is much money, there is much wealth— 
but too little is as yet released. We have simply said 
“a” as in electricity. 

It is necessary that Christian leaders learn how 
to release that great unused power. It must be piped 
and directed there where it is to do good. It requires 
piping. The pipes through which it is to be led and 
released, so that it may do good, are the teachings 
of Stewardship and Tithing. Teach tithing and 
stewardship earnestly. Then turn the faucets and 
great powers will be released. 

Thus the church of God and other great institu¬ 
tions of good, will actually become such forces in the 
world as God wants them to be. 


132 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

POWER TO BE RELEASED 

1. How much power has the individual? 

2. How may it be released? Have you made the most 
of your gifts? 

3. How can you help others to find themselves and their 
life work? 

4. How can you make others see the great good they might 
accomplish with the wealth God has lent them? 

WHAT YOUR DENOMINATION SHOULD DO 
Adopt a program of tithing! I say nothing less. 
By this I do not say that you must demand, that 
every member of the church give the tenth. But I 
do say tithing ought to be made the financial pro¬ 
gram of the church in general. Tithing should not 
be forced upon anybody, but the church ought to sug¬ 
gest it and remind people of it as much as she re¬ 
minds her members to keep holy the Lord’s Day. 

Proportionate giving has been suggested. But 
many old and young sinners of Christendom have 
demonstrated to us that the program of proportion¬ 
ate giving offers one too much freedom, and you and 
many others know, that freedom is almost always 
abused. The freedom given in the program of pro¬ 
portionate giving has been so abused that some 
boasted when they gave a hundredth, others perhaps 
a two-hundredths, some perhaps less. The plan of 
proportionate giving may have its merits, where 
nothing greater can be adopted. 


WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 133 


Men and women, Christians and non-Christians, 
let's get away from this baby talk, that we will do 
our share, by giving a certain proportion, and then 
slip over to God’s causes the little one-hundredth of 
our income or one twenty-fifth or one-twentieth. 
Let’s stop it! Let’s think of God’s church and God’s 
causes and humanity in a little more respectable 
way. 

The church of God has been scorned and ridiculed 
by the world. Is it a wonder? The people of the 
church are to blame, and let me say it right here, 
the leaders of the church are at fault more than the 
average members of the church. 

The leaders have too long been silent. They con¬ 
tented themselves with alms, when it was their duty 
fearlessly and courageously to ask for tithes, and 
even more, so that the work of God might be rightly 
carried on. 

Prayer, faith, forgiveness and redemption must be 
emphasized. They are essential, but cheerful, lib¬ 
eral, prayerful giving is no less so. I believe and 
have preached this: That as surely as God expects 
Christians to pray earnestly, just so surely does He 
expect them to give sincerely, prayerfully, ungrudg¬ 
ingly and abundantly. 

But let us look hopefully into the future, for a new 
era seems to have dawned. Many denominations, 
realizing that the Church dare not continue in the 
indifferent lethargic way of the past, have inaugu- 


134 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


rated tithing campaigns, which have revived their 
whole denominational works. 

The first requirement naturally is, that the de¬ 
nominational leaders greet with kindness instead of 
meet with scorn the adoption of a tithing propaganda 
in the particular denomination. 

Let me say this to start with: Many denomina¬ 
tional leaders object to adopting tithing. If some¬ 
thing better can be offered in its stead, then don’t 
accept tithing. But if in all these years and years 
the Church did her work too unsatisfactorily (and 
that she did), and found no way out of her difficulty, 
then why not be brave enough to try what we may 
even hear some call, “something new,” but which in 
reality is as old as God’s religion—the paying of the 
tithe. 

To use a quotation from J. T. Henderson, active in 
the “Half Million Tithers” campaign for Southern 
Baptists, let me say: 

“While some sincere Christians may think that 
the tenth is not enjoined by New Testament teach¬ 
ing, perhaps all of us will agree that the giving of 
at least a tenth to the Lord’s work is attended by 
both material and Spiritual blessing. We can all 
harmonize in the statement of Dr. Gambrell: 
‘Whether tithing is a matter of law under the dis¬ 
pensation of grace need not be discussed; I will dis¬ 
miss all that with the statement, that it is not think¬ 
able, from the standpoint of the Cross, that anyone 


WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 135 

would give less under grace than the Jews gave 
under the law’.” 

When the denominational leaders have prayerfully 
and unprejudicially given the matter of tithing a 
thorough consideration, the first step toward greater 
success for the denomination will have been accom¬ 
plished. A Tithing Stewardship commission should 
be established. This committee should organize its 
work with the express purpose to teach Tithing 
Stewardship throughout the entire denomination. 

The committee should acquaint itself with the 
best available tithing literature, preferably small 
leaflets on tithing, such as can be purchased from 
several of the leading denominations and also from 
the Layman Company. The denomination should be 
literally flooded with tithing leaflets, not once but 
several times a year. Each district or synod within 
the denomination should have its own Tithing Stew¬ 
ardship Department, with an officially appointed 
leader to work under the denomination’s head com¬ 
mittee. 

This district leader should receive from the de¬ 
nominational head committee, tithing literature in 
sufficient quantities to supply each pastor of the dis¬ 
trict a copy for each individual in the local church. 
This literature should not only be passed out at Sun¬ 
day services, but a copy should be mailed by the local 
church to every member on the church roll. The 
district leader should be invited to every congrega- 


136 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


tion in the district, for the purpose of explaining 
thoroughly the tithing campaign. 

After the denomination has established its Head 
Tithing Stewardship Committee and its district de¬ 
partments, the district leader should be commis¬ 
sioned to help each pastor in the district to organize 
in the church a Tither’s Band, if there is none 
already. In case there is such a band, the district 
leader should visit that organization and become 
helpful in enlarging it. Again the Tithers’ Band of 
the local church should set as its goal, within a rea¬ 
sonable length of time, to interview each member of 
the local church honestly and tactfully, explaining 
to the members the blessing and virtue of this sys¬ 
tem of Church and Kingdom financing. A Steward¬ 
ship Study Class with a textbook on Tithing, should 
be organized and maintained in every congregation. 

Through the suggested methods and plans the 
entire denomination, from first to the last, should 
be given an opportunity to learn what it means to be 
in partnership with God—to cheerfully tithe. 

At a certain time in the year every member of the 
entire denomination should receive a tither’s pledge 
card and be requested to state whether he or she 
is a tither, or whether he or she will from that time 
on tithe. 

Correspondence of this nature is easily and often 
willfully neglected. Because of this, such a card 


WHAT SOME DENOMINATIONS ARE DOING 137 

should be sent out every few months. All signed 
cards should be mailed to the district leader. 

The head or denominational committee should 
unceasingly be at work. 

Some of my readers may think the suggested 
plans a little untimely and radical. But let me say 
to my dear objector, we have no time to lose. We 
have split hairs too long. We have talked too long 
and have done too little. It’s high time for Christian 
people to get busy and build the Kingdom of God. 

Put God first. Seek first His Kingdom, give Him 
the first fruits. Let the whole denomination be 
taught what thousands upon thousands have learned 
to be true. “Bring ye all the tithes into the store¬ 
house, that there may be meat in mine house, and 
prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if 
I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour 
out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough 
to receive it.” Mai. 3:10. 

Leaders of the denominations, think what it would 
mean if your entire denomination were taught, not 
the hard “you must tithe!” but the happiness and 
blessing that comes to him who tithes cheerfully, 
unboastingly and prayerfully. Think of the bless¬ 
ings that are withheld from people because through 
indifference or fear of man this happy truth has not 
been sufficiently expounded. Notice that the famous 
statistician Roger Babson says about the tithe of all 


138 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


Christians in the United States. Mr. Babson himself 
told me that he approves of the tithing system. 

“Let’s think for a moment what would happen if 
every church member in the United States should 
actually do as the Bible suggests and set aside one- 
tenth of his income for God. There are about 
40,000,000 members in our Christian churches, with 
about $40,000,000,000 total annual income. Calcu¬ 
late the tremendous power summed up in one-tenth 
cf that amount—$4,000,000,000. Spent honestly and 
wisely such a sum would establish all the additional 
schools necessary to fit our young men and women 
for a religious life. It would operate all the hospitals 
and training schools needed to treat all those'who 
must go through life with physical handicaps. It 
would furnish sufficient money in a few years’ time 
to teach every living soul the principles of right¬ 
eousness.”* 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

WHAT YOUR DENOMINATION SHOULD DO 

1. What steps should be taken to bring an entire denomina¬ 
tion to the blessed custom of tithing ? 

2. Can you suggest any ways and means how this may be 
done still better in your particular case? 

3. Suppose all the leading denominations should adopt the 
tithe as the only way of raising money for the Kingdom, 
what would be the effect in a material way? In a spirit¬ 
ual way? 

♦Reprinted by permission of the Macmillan Company, from 
“Enduring Investments,” by Roger W. Babson. 



CHAPTER IX 


BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN POURED 
OUT—OR BLESSINGS WITHHELD— 
WHICH SHALL IT BE? 

Horace Bushnell said, “One more revival, only one 
more, is needed; the revival of Christian Steward¬ 
ship, the consecration of the money-power to God. 
When that revival comes, the Kingdom of God will 
come in a day.” 

Objection to the tithing system will again and 
again be brought forth. The same is true concerning 
every good practice. But all objections to the tithe 
system can be refuted. They will suerly fade away, 
when we become Christian enough to accept Matthew 
6:33 as a guide for our life, as taught in the first 
chapter of this book. 

Objectors say that tiithing is unjust to the person 
with a small income. Let the objectors ask the 
tithers whether one-tenth is too much. They can 
best answer. 

How about taxes ? Is it effectual that we complain 
that the person with a small income must pay his 
taxes? He pays in proportion to his income and 
in proportion to his possessions. 

It seems as if many argue that tithing is not de- 
139 


140 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


sirable, because it would ask too little of the wealthy. 
I, too, believe that the wealthy should give more, but 
let me ask my objector a question. If you argue 
that tithing will let the rich off too easily, then I 
pray you answer this question: Have the rich, whom 
you have in mind given back to God the tenth? 

In most cases, I suppose, if not in all, your answer 
be “no.” 

Therefore in all reasonableness and kindness at¬ 
tempt to educate the wealthy to pay back to God one- 
tenth before you ask them to give up one-fifth, one- 
fourth or even one-half of their income. 

Take the Biblical starting point. 

It has been said by some objectors, that tithing 
makes giving mechanical and Pharisaical. If we are 
willing to indorse that objection, then we might just 
as well also say that other Christian duties, such 
as church going, praying and reading God’s word 
have the same tendency to make mechanical and 
Pharisaical creatures out of us. 

If you love the Lord Jesus and if you really 
trust God and truly want to serve Him, you will no 
longer contend against giving up to God one-tenth, 
but you will joyfully admit that the tithe-system is 
good and that it constitutes only the starting point 
for your giving. 

My plea to every Christian, to every church mem¬ 
ber, to every local church and to every denomination 
is: Do the right thing, accept the tithing system 


BLESSINGE FROM HEAVEN POURED OUT 141 


and teach it, for it is God’s way; it asks of us indeed 
little enough in view of the fact that the merciful 
Father in heaven gives us all. 

“Everybody who thinks about it knows that the 
usual way of raising money for the Church has some¬ 
thing the matter with it. 

“It makes Christians into coaxers and beggars. 

“It is exactly the method employed by toy-dog¬ 
carrying, bridge-whist-driving, carnival-organizing 
society women when they have a spasm of ‘doing 
something for charity/ 

“It makes sincere Christians ashamed that the 
work of the Church is done on the money of men¬ 
dicancy. 

“It puts means above ends; we are forced to give 
concerts for money, not music; to hold suppers for 
profit, not sociability; to distribute books for a com¬ 
mission, not instruction; and generally to degrade 
and pauperize the greatest business on earth. 

“It makes the money bag the measure of recogni¬ 
tion, and mortgages the Church’s conscience to its 
heavy givers. 

“It uses up time and strength in getting the tools 
for the work, which ought to be spent on the work 
itself. (The time used up by Methodist financial 
ways and means committees in the course of a year 
is estimated at one man’s working time for three 
hundred years.) 


142 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


“With all its other advantages, some people might 
defend it if it did but work, but it is a self-confessed 
failure. Like the perpetual motion machine in the 
Patent Office, it is highly complicated and very 
ingenious, but it won’t work. 

“The Tithe is the Thing. Anyone who thinks about 
it knows that the paying of the tithe as a sign of 
stewardship has nothing whatever the matter with 
it. 

“It saves the Christian’s self-respect. He need not 
apologize either for doubtful methods or inadequate 
results. 

“It conserves the energies of the Church for the 
Church’s real business. 

“It puts a stop to the necessity of the Church 
becoming a peddler of pies, oysters, ice cream, 
chicken pie and notions. 

“It gives the business men of the place a new 
regard for the Church as a business institution. 

“It collects itself. 

“It is a positive means of grace, like a good prayer 
meeting. 

“It puts a quietus on all display and self-seeking 
in one’s contributions. Nobody can get puffed up 
over paying his debts. 

“It makes the Christian’s financial relation to his 
Church a pleasure instead of a perpetual annoyance, 
and so does a good work on his disposition. 


BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN POURED OUT 143 


“It is the one sure way of proving we are in 
earnest when we say of God that He owns all we 
possess! 

“It links us with God in a real and definite sharing 
of His work. 

“It is the plan our Lord approved. 

“And every time, everywhere, with rich Churches, 
poor Churches, city Churches, country Churches, 
little Churches, big Churches—it works!”* 

The writer of Three Greater Successes desires a 
large and earnest audience for the important and 
timly question: Shall we further stem, the progress 
of God’s Kingdom? 

Every imaginable plan for financing God’s Church 
and Kingdom has been tried. All others have failed. 
The results were empty treasuries and dissatisfac¬ 
tion. Man’s plan has failed and will always fail. 
God knows best how His Kingdom should be 
financed. 

Place over against God’s plan of the tithe the 
inadequate schemes of man—bazaars, shows, beg¬ 
ging, scanty giving and unreasonably small church 
dues. 

Choose for yourself—success or failure. 

The adoption of God’s plan will bring success to 
the individual, to the local Church and to the denom¬ 
ination. 


•From Straight Talk on the Steward's Tithe in The Epworth 
Herald, Feb. 28, 1920. 



144 


THREE GREATER SUCCESSES 


I am optimistic enough to believe that in general 
the Christian world will ultimately adopt tithing as 
its financial system. 

“God so loved the world that he gave his only 
begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should 
not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. 

Jesus gave His life for us on dreadful Calvary. 
How little we have done for Him! 

The Christian world must blush in shame for 
rendering to Christ’s and humanity’s causes less 
than one-tenth. 

Let all Christians join hands in the Master’s work, 
let all vow unto god, “Unto Thee I will henceforth 
gladly give at least one-tenth.” 

When that happens, all financial, material and 
many spiritual problems will vanish as darkness 
flees before the splendor of the morning sun. 

Study-Matter for Class Use and Individuals 

BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN POURED OUT— 

OR BLESSINGS WITHHELD—WHICH 
SHALL IT BE? 

1. Review chapter on Success at beginning of this book. 

2. Write a brief essay on chapter Blessings From Heaven 

Poured Out—Or Blessings Withheld—Which Shall It 
Be? 

3. Memorize Matthew 6:33 and Malachi 3:10. 













Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2005 





PreservationTechnologies 


A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATIOfi 

111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-2111 
















































